Ala eh!

I have a lot of reasons why I love what I do for a living. This is just one reason why I love my job: My work is not limited to a computer at my desk — I get out in the wild, whether city or country, and study how people go about their daily lives.

Last Monday, I had fieldwork in Batangas. The problem was that it had rained the previous evening, so on Monday the ground was soft and muddy. We went through a very rural area — so rural the houses were kilometers away from each other. To get to each house took extreme effort! We had to climb muddy, slippery hills, cross a makeshift bridge, hold on to the wild flora to keep from slipping deep into the dirt. I was not prepared for this trip at all. I had my heavy boots on that’s why I kept sinking into the mud with each step I took. My jeans were soaked with sweat and yes, a lot of mud. We all smelled like muddy pigs by nightfall.

I was exhausted. I am far from being in good shape! I was huffing and puffing for most of the time. It was all worth it though. Each muddy step took us deeper into rural Batangas, and I was amazed at the greenery all around us. The mountains looked like big broccoli flowers (what an analogy). The rice fields were an amazing symmetry of yellow and green. The air was crisp and fresh, a welcome respite from the seemingly compressed city air.

I grew up spending part of my summer vacations in Batangas. I haven’t returned to the country since my teen years. The memories of my home province coming alive shielded me from the blaring sun. I enjoyed every minute of the journey, never mind my expensive boots being drenched in mud. I can always buy another pair of boots, I thought, but experiences like these are hard to come by.

Is it the laidback atmosphere that makes people from the province more friendly? We were never short of smiles and greetings from the locals. They offered kind words and helping hands when we all appeared lost. I missed hearing the Batangas punto (accent). I was waiting for someone to say “Ala eh!” but this was a stereotype that didn’t emerge that day.

I remembered a day I had spent at my Uncle’s home in one Batangas province. My Batangueno relatives told stories like there was no tomorrow and “ala eh’s” spiked each sentence. I listened eagerly to their stories while eating spoonfuls of macapuno. On our way home that day, my cousin and I got into a conversation and it was halfway through our talk when we realized we had developed our own Batangueno punto. We had a hoot speaking with the punto but after half an hour or so, it was back to our regular Manila talk.

Back to my Monday Batangas experience. I went home brimming with so many stories and gave H an earful! There was me almost falling into the mud, the breathtaking Batangas scenery, the 5-hour trek without a single drop of water to drink, walking through vast areas of corn reminiscent of Signs or Field of Dreams, successfully crossing a makeshift bridge that made me feel like a Fear Factor champion, the search for residences in the wild that made me feel like I was in the Amazing Race.

My Batangas trip made me realize that going out in the wild is good for my soul. I was walking the muddy trail when I caught sight of those lush mountains. I stopped my trek and said a prayer. I said a prayer as I stared into the rice paddies. I said a prayer when I closed my eyes and felt the fresh breeze kiss my face. I felt so blessed to have witnessed such beautiful creations. I couldn’t thank Him enough for these beautiful gifts of nature.

My trip also rekindled my love for travel. I get tickled by the thought of travel when I look at my blogger friends’ photographs and read their stories. Batangas was the final nudge. I have to see more of the country, I thought. I have to get out of the city, not for work, but for myself. I’ve stopped traveling the past years, mostly because of work, but this time, I’m not letting anything stop me from putting on those traveling shoes.

Where to next? I don’t know yet. I do know that I will definitely go back to Batangas. I want to eat Batangas bibingka IN Batangas, not here in Manila. I want to feel the crisp Batangas air again. I want to feel my childhood memories envelope me once again. More importantly, I want to share this experience with H and create new memories with him. The mountains, the people, the balisong, the barako, the bibingka — I want to share all these with him. Maybe he’ll even have the Batangas punto after spending a weekend there. Now that would make for an interesting experience.

Hi! I'm Toni Tiu, and I've been blogging at at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.