A Place I Still Call Home

The big yellow Ceres bus I was on lumbered towards the city I called home for the greater part of my life -- Dumaguete City, and which I still do.

I was coming home for the first time in three long years. To some, three years may not seem that long, but I can't even remember the last time I lingered in my hometown for more than a day. So, it was good to come home.

I had expected everything to stay the same. I got my usual attack of my allergies -- rhinitis, colds, runny nose, the works -- which has happened every time I came home ever since I left for medical school. But the changes were tangible as we rolled past the Sibulan airport with a Cebu Pacific jet taxiing down the runway, the heat was pelting the roof of the bus and the cement road endlessly.

As I passed by the buildings, I made a mental note of the changes but lost count by the time I reached the boulevard and got up to get my bags in the overhead compartments. The St Paul's First Gate lawn seemed a bit more crowded with more signs and oversized plaques, the infrastructure fronting the Provincial Hospital has seen so much growth that I don't even know half the stores in the area, heck even the bypass road now has a name and a really big hole right smack in the middle.

Some things still remained the same though. The tricycles and motorcycles still dominated the roads with bad Dumaguete City driving (every person who comes from somewhere else endlessly complains of Dumaguete drivers zipping in and out of traffic coming from out of nowhere). The pillars of the city were still standing -- Silliman University, Lee Plaza, NORSU, not to mention the Public Market, the churches and parks -- but somewhat grayed and older.

I marveled at the changes that have happened since the last time I was here. So much has changed. Stores have moved. A huge Robinson's mall now stands tall a stone's throw away from our house, with all the trimmings of big city life -- the KFC's, Crocs, iStore and an entertainment section. I'm sure the Dumaguete people are quite thankful for the decent cinemas we can go to for the latest movies.

But so much has been taken away from what I remember Dumaguete City to be. I zipped easily on that warm afternoon as sunlight was slowly creeping away, I noticed even my favorite place to buy Pan De Sal during early mornings when went to Silliman Beach when I was a kid was now closed, Gold Label Real street was gone, food places weren't where I expected them to be like Negros, Scooby's Silliman is back but on the other side, and even National Bookstore Portal Building has packed up and moved out to Robinson's.

One thing I religiously do every time I come home is go to Taster's Delight to eat what I know to be THE BEST burgers in the WORLD! But sadly, those days are gone (hopefully just temporary) because Taster's has closed down and orders can be placed at Howyang, but those burgers don't taste the same as those freshly cooked Taster's burgers wrapped in the yellow and orange plastic (mouth watering) and when you take that first bite...the best, indeed. Bring it back please.

My leave was coming to an end and work beckons.

But changes have also happened to me in the past three years -- first I'm seven months married to a wonderful woman who keeps me laughing, and strong, I'm in training in a profession I love despite the stress and hours without sleep, and new friends on top of the old.

I guess the people have changed so much as well.

Dumaguete City, despite all the changes, is still home to me. Nothing can keep from family. My parents are still there keeping busy, my brother is doing his thing, my sister is married with her husband and newborn son, Lucas (sorry ma, Lucas sounds more uhm sophisticated, i.e. sa ebanghelyo ni San Lucas).

And I'd still be coming back.

See you the next time Dumaguete.