I woke up at 5 a.m. like I always do. I guess my body’s still tuned to cafe hours in Sydney. That kind of rhythm stays with you, even when you’re on vacation. Or in my case, back in Cavite for a quick trip home.
I didn’t have beans in the house. I forgot to stock up. So I opened Google Maps and typed the only thing that makes sense: “coffee” But I already knew the answer.
Most cafes in the Philippines open at 10 a.m., sometimes even 11. That’s already mid-day in a Sydney lifestyle. And it hit me: the kind of coffee culture I’ve grown used to doesn’t exist here. Not yet.
In Australia, the day starts early. Builders, baristas, commuters, café owners like me – we’re all wired for 6 a.m. starts. Cafes open their doors by sunrise. Coffee is a utility and a ritual. People need it before anything else. There’s pride in a good morning pull of espresso, in milk steamed just right before the rush. It’s routine, it’s necessity, and for many, it’s love.
Here, back home, coffee feels slower. Sweeter, sometimes. Mostly an accompaniment to merienda or dessert. It’s less about the rhythm of the day and more about a break from it. The morning hours are quiet, not the kind of quiet you fill with espresso shots and croissants, but the kind that stretches and waits.
It’s not wrong. It’s just different.
And in that difference, I found myself wondering which version of me felt more at home. The one who rushes out for flat whites at 6:30 a.m., or the one who waits until the city stirs.
Yakult was with me, tail wagging at the foot of the bed. I looked down at him, and he looked back, just as confused why we weren’t already grinding beans. He’s adjusted to our Baguio lifestyle from before. The long walks. The smell of hot coffee in the morning. The life we used to have.
There’s comfort in routine, even when you’re far from home. And sometimes that routine highlights everything you didn’t know you’d miss. Maybe that’s what this kind of cultural jetlag is: the dissonance of time, taste, and pace. And maybe that’s okay.
We’ll go for a walk soon, Yakult and I. No rush. Coffee can wait today. But I’ll probably have a headache from withdrawal.