February marks my first year in Baguio. I left Manila to live in Baguio during the pandemic. I can still remember parking my car inside the garage of my first home in the City of Pines as my dog Yakult hastily run towards the open gate of Easter Road to Bokawkan. Alongside cars and trucks, we both ran in the middle of the highway – my face full of terror while he was just smiling and running with the look of freedom gleaming on his terribly cute face.
A year of new challenges
A suspended reality – that would probably explain most of our Year 2020. I would always look at it as a series of canceled plans, broken routines, and interrupted lives. With the cloud of uncertainty, I decided to start a somewhat new life and transferred to Baguio.
Even before coming here, I’m pretty used to living independently. While my family house is in Cavite, I lived in Mandaluyong so I can stay near my work. Cooking, cleaning, and living alone were never a problem for me. I’ve built a new routine to make me feel in control of my life again. It felt nice – I was happy.
On my third month here in Baguio, together with a trusted friend, we started Gypsy Baguio by Chef Waya and Taguan Cafe and it was a hell of a challenge. With the developing pandemic, we bit the bullet and faced the music. To build a restaurant and a cafe in the middle of the pandemic was a crazy move but it was worth it. I’ve built a new routine to make me feel in control of my life again. It felt nice – I was happy.
A year of new friends
To be alone in a new place is actually a treat for me. As an introvert, I preferred staying at home. I would wake up, brew coffee, play with my dog, cook (or order) food, work from home and drink alcohol at night. But then again, no man is an island. With the cold weather and eerie silence, it gets lonely.
Luckily, I met amazing people and dogs along the way. There were Baguio locals who would talk to me from time to time but the real deal is the refugees – that’s what we call ourselves. These are people who left our previous lives and migrated here in 2600. We shared a beautiful bond of picking up our “broken pieces” over food, drinks, and a sad Spotify playlist. Slowly, it felt like Baguio is starting to feel like home.
A year of feeling alive
As I look back to the year it was, there are a lot of things that broke me – shaky business, family struggles, and deteriorating mental health – but there are still plenty to be grateful for. Thinking about it, things unfold – the good and the bad – when you brave the wilderness. It only takes courage to take a step and face the unknown for you to feel alive again. As for me, I will always be thankful for Baguio.
Happy 1st Anniversary, 2600.