How it is to live the Buda way of life

In a more positive note
I sounded a bit cynical in my last post. That night, I somehow failed to look at the blessings we have here. Now, I would like to write about the place where I am staying right now:

Weather
The temperature here in Buda ranges from 20 to 29 degrees Celsius. This is cool considering that there’s a dry spell (El Niño) and the average temperature in Marikina is 31 to 35 degrees Celsius when I left.

House
Practically unchanged when I first visited here eleven years ago (a long story how and why that happened), the house is made of hardwood with the design that looks like the half of a cockfighting hall since this was bought like that in the beginning. One of the poorest houses among all the Marist Brothers community in the Philippines.

Cats
Recently, I’m trying to be friendly with the cats because they are approachable and would liked to be petted. The four kittens are still untamed and uneasy with the presence of people.

Dogs
I consider myself as a dog person yet I don’t like to pet the guard dog in front of the entrance stairway since he’s too big, strong, and playful. Though he’s a domesticated attack dog, I’m better off just greeting him from afar. Most of the dogs are guarding the poultry. Not much to write about the chickens since I don’t even dare to go inside there.

Water system
We are using the natural water from the spring and we use the mountain’s height so the gravity supplies us the water to our house. Free of charge, we are inviting the neighbors to use our water and even our comfort rooms outside. But since we are now experiencing a bit of a drought throughout the whole country, we asked the neighbors to refrain from washing their clothes.

Electricity and Phone Signal Coverage
The government started to provide these basic needs last 2008. Now, we have the radio, refrigerator, iron, water heater, and light bulbs as our appliances. Our far away neighbors have the television and the karaoke machines.

Simple life
Life is very simple and basic that I have all the time to read, exercise, do laundry, wash dishes, and write. I like a laid back lifestyle once in a while.

Bantay: Our protective dog

My cousins and my siblings play with Bantay whenever they see him. Every time I go home from my Kindergarten classes, I would also go to the house of Bantay and cuddle him. Bantay is the source of joy in our family.

One morning, before going to class, I saw a marching group of men wearing green uniform. “Sino po sila?”, I asked my parents but they didn’t answer me. I think it has something to do with the piece of paper they received the last week. I heard it was a notice.

When the men in green approached our lot, my mother took my hands and dragged me away from them. I couldn’t fully comprehend yet with what’s happening at that time. Bantay, acting like he understands the situation, suddenly went out of his house and attacked the man in the middle and bit his leg. Later, I heard the sound of a gun.

Grandmother grabbed a brick with her frail hands but auntie grabbed her arms before she could even hurl it to the demolition team.

“Do your best at school”, my mother told me. I nod to her in reply.

I’m pretty sure that day was my first absence at school. More importantly, I wouldn’t be able to play with Bantay ever again.

Photo credits via MadisonWoods.wordpress.com