It’s an ordinary barangay scene: hot, crowded, lots of laundry, lots of kids. Everybody here knows everybody else, like it or not. It’s close and personal; but it’s also often kulang and uncomfortable. Many young people here have dreams– of escape: to find a job overseas, to come back rich.
Especially a job in America! They think of Hollywood, Las Vegas, New York. They watch American movies, and think that if they were working there they would have a life of wealth and glamour, with just enough danger to be exciting.
But this is America. It’s not Las Vegas or New York. For the jobs they could expect to find here, someplace like this is where they would be; something like this is what they would see, driving to work everyday.
And it’s beautiful in a way. But for people from Dumaguete, it’s certainly mingaw. It’s not glamorous, not exciting. It’s just huge, cold, empty land.
There are no barangays, no fiestas. Neighbors are friendly but distant.
Often you don’t even know their names. Work pays well, but with long hours, many promises to keep, and miles to go before you sleep. Look: And before you dream, consider this.
