english,
Literary: Barangay Life
Walking through what Filipinos call an eskinita, you'll see the ground covered in moss and uneven concrete. On its side, the blue pipelines, if damaged, will be repaired by what you can tell as a temporarily wrapped rubber cloth. The houses along the eskinita blend perfectly with the color of the pavements, being made out of concrete and all. Few are colored, with the paint faded from the drippings of brown rain because of the rusty metal roofs. When you walk, you have to walk slowly, otherwise, you could slip into the flowing suds and bubbles from the neighbors’ laundry excrete. Hangings of clothes, blankets, even underwear will be seen from the window bars. The road cracked and filled with wet cement and blackened gums flattened by the tires of the cars or footsteps.
The aroma of food is always mixed, a hint of fish, egg, or broth depending on the weather. Every other morning the garbage truck will come and you’ll see hankies flying about covering the noses of passengers. Smoke from cars, grill outs, and cigarettes will make you cough. The soapy smell of hanged laundry, animals such as dogs, cats, and rats may come astray, with them an unbearable stench of their droppings and fur. Some nights, as you pass by, the smell of liquor will emit from the group of men in chairs, or on occasion, women, with them comes either a prepared feast of sisig and chicharon, or just your average easy-to-prepare pancit canton.
From afar, you'll hear someone singing in the videoke, and after, elder women nagging the singers with a much more annoying high-pitched squawk; Cars rumbling, motorcycles whirring being close to the road and all; Children's gay laughter soon turning into brawls and fits of crying; and the busy chit-chat of both men and women, in either agreement or defiance. Soon, when all of this has ended, which rarely happens, there will come footsteps, it may be your own or that of others. When that too is gone, only the sound of trash hitting the road will be left, rolling about in sync with the cold sooty air acting as if it were tumbleweed.
Yet deep in the night, after all the merry-makings, nose pleasantries and wonderment will be silence. It is somber and mellow, but no matter how enticing and stimulating it is, you'll always look forward to the next day.
Yes, this may sound simple, and to some, the exact opposite of beauty and wonder. But to me, this barangay life is a joyous and pleasant splendor, with packed adventures every day.
To me… this is paradise.
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