Tag: simple life

I have encounter some people saying that they don’t want to go back to their provinces where they grew up because life is hard. Most of these individual came from poor family in the province who move from the city and find good luck in big cities. But, as COVID19 occur, people from Manila and other cities desperately wants to go back home(province) because of crisis. No jobs. Businesses have been closed. No other source of income and some are kicked out from their boarding houses and apartments because they can’t pay their rent anymore. Now they realized that they need to go back to their provinces.

Living in the city makes us realized that life in the province is much better especially now that we are facing crisis not only in the Philippines but all over the world….

Living in the province is one of the best place we can go to avoid traffic, pollution, and the stress that take too much in the busy city. Waking up early with fresh air and welcoming the sunlight on your door, windows or on your bedroom will give us a good mood to start your day.

Rural living is one of the best for holiday breaks, for good or retirement.

Living in rural areas can be a great idea to relieve stress from the hectic schedule in the city. You get to have fun and explore the great outdoors and enjoy it with family, friends, relatives and neighbors.

It is also affordable to live and secure lands in the province – labors and materials cost are cheaper too….

I was born in the province of Benguet which is located in Northern part of Luzon, but moved in Baguio which is the capital city of Benguet – one of the most tourist visited places in the Philippines ……As of now I am in Central Visayas which is a bit warmer and miles away from my hometown and family.

Due to COVID19 virus we decided to move away from the city of Cebu (5 years in business operation, sadly shutdown due to C19) and we will try our luck in Negros Oriental province (my partner’s hometown) .

Negros Oriental is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Dumaguete. It occupies the southeastern half of the large islands of Negros and borders Negros Occidental.

Advantages living in the Province

• Price of commodities is fresh produce. Fruits and vegetables are freshly picked on backyards and sometimes given by neighbors.

• You can also put up poultry and domestic livestock as other source of income.

• Friendly folks. Neighbors greet you even you don’t know each other. A simple smile is a way of greetings every time you meet them on the way or pass in front of your house.

• Access to nature. Physical and mental benefits spending more time outdoors. It promotes physical agility, alertness and it improve us to be more resilient and optimism….

(Nowadays, most people especially kids are more fun of using gadgets like computers, cellphones and television all the time. We cannot deny the fact that we are in a modern world and mostly “millennials” are easily entertained in this digital era).

• Lower costs. Most people living in the provinces have lower costs of living because foods and other basic necessities are cheaper.

• Not too much pollution. Provinces have cleaner air especially if you are living few meters away from the city center.

• More space. If you want to grow vegetables, bearing fruit trees or maybe if you are a fun of landscape gardening then the province is for you. (You do anything you want on the abundant space you have).

• Relaxed Environment. More landscape and relaxed atmosphere and surroundings in the province. You will learn to appreciate small and simple things like backyard gardening, hiking in the farm, or sight-seeing natural landscape scenery around you.

• If you want to escape a hectic lifestyle, noisy and endless crowds, you want peace and calm environment, then you have to move in the province.

• Close to Nature. As soon as you step out your door, you’re already surrounded with natural greens of the outdoor. The great outdoors can reduce stress levels, restore mental fatigue and can improve self-esteem.

• Healthier lifestyle. Activities in the province can contribute better physical and mental health.

• Activities. In the provinces, it will cost a lot less because if you want to explore especially if you have kids then you just take a walk, have a fun activities outdoor. Most kids in the provinces are very creative in making fun activities without any expenses.

• More Security/Safety. Lower violence issues.

• Save money. You can save more money in the province because of no distractions such as limited amenities, dining and shops. Foods are freshly picked on backyards and if you are creative enough in living in the province then for sure you will mostly save more money.

Disadvantages Living in the Province

• Limited stocks and commodities. Services and conveniences. Dining and shopping options are fewer.

• Salary. Provinces have lower basic salary due to provincial rate. (Hoping that provincial rate in the Philippines will be pushed through the senate to avoid congestion in big cities).

• Fewer job opportunities. It may be hard to make a living in the province especially if you have limited job experiences/knowledge. Mostly big companies are investing in big cities. Most of the career holders move to big cities to look for some better opportunities especially those wanting to work in corporate world.

• Limited Access. Fewer transport facilities. Internet connections are slow.

• Fewer Education Opportunities. In the city more modern facilities/technologies for educational purposes (modern technologies makes learnings easier and faster) and lots of educational opportunities such as trainings, seminars, workshops, and more exposures. Communicating, meeting and socializing.

• Dangers on wildlife and bugs. Current experiences, there’s a lot of wild animals around the corner. Haha! Such as birds on our roof with the nest, hawks, big lizards/spiders inside the house and different kinds of insects.

Moving to a new place is a great challenge. So before moving to a place you have to decide first what you really want, but in our case we desperately needed to move in the province due to COVID19 (businesses has been shut down, no jobs and no other resources in the city so we decided to move out with no plans at all). We are not even sure what we really want to do.

I swear, living in the province is awesome! It’s calm, relaxed and peaceful. I don’t even feel that C19 virus exist.

I really love it especially the food we eat every day. Enjoying organic foods, fresh seafood’s and the place itself ( feeling grateful everyday).