Wanting to meet people who aren’t from the same area as you isn’t exactly an easy task. Aside from kissing your money goodbye, you also sacrifice your time and effort. For friends, though, you’ll always find a way to cross roads and bridges, no matter how time-consuming it is, just to see them.
But, sometimes, we can’t help but think how unfair our situation is. If you’re from the south–Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Cavite, and Laguna among others–you’ll know what I’m saying.
In an attempt to give our friends from the north and east–all those who want to meet up at Cubao or Trinoma, hear me out–greater knowledge and understanding of what we usually subject ourselves to, here’s the top 6 list of struggles that people from the south have to go through every time we go on dates and attend meet-ups.
6. Can’t ride-share
Ride-sharing, while it’s convenient to use for the majority of commuters in the metro, becomes impractical for people who need to pay tolls, because, you know, we live in the south and that’s how we roll. We do use ride-sharing apps, though, but our destinations are usually where the buses are.
If you value convenience, go ahead and book a car that will bring you home. If you don’t want to pay extra, though, take the bus.
5. Long commute
Imagine having to commute for about 3 hours (the usual), one way. While everyone’s sending “arrived home safely” messages, you’re still in the middle of who knows where, trying to fight off sleep, sleeping, or asking don’t we all have the right to go home early?
4. Bus = Bedroom
You spend more time on the road than you do at home. Your home is the road and your bedroom is the bus (or MRT?). Movements, loud conversations, uncomfortable seats–they no longer bother you. You’re so used to it that despite the bumpy environment and the fact that you’re sitting next to a stranger, sleep comes to you naturally. Falling asleep on the bus is never fun, though. You miss stops or worse, get robbed.
3. All or nothing
Kasya pa naman, bes! Really, where?
Just for you to get home, you’ll cram yourself in tightly packed Jeepneys that couldn’t care less whether you’re seated comfortably or your butt’s hardly touching anything–most of the time it only touches air. Pretty sure you’ve experienced this, regardless of where you live. We, south people, can just #relate extra, because some Jeepneys only operate for a limited time. If you arrive later than that, you’ll need to take another route, which is usually longer, and that sucks.
2. Instant sleepovers
No extra clothes, toothbrush, and underwear? No problem. You’d rather sleep at your friend’s house than risk sleeping on the road. This, while it might have been the best option during the night, presents another problem in the morning, though. Usually, your friend’s house is far, too. You then end up going through numbers 6, 5, 4, and maybe even 3 before you eventually find your way home.
1. Yes to Trinoma, but No to MOA
Apparently, SM Mall of Asia is far and Trinoma isn’t. So, kami na lang talaga lagi ang mag-a-adjust? Let’s meet halfway. Okay, so Cubao?
Hoping for the day that we’ll all decide to meet up in Alabang. Just for a change.
