Four reasons why I miss Dumaguete

The Dumaguete Cathedral Belfry, one of the city's best-known landmarks, at night

This is my first Christmas away from home.

Just like any other guy or girl in his or her twenties who’s fresh out of college, I dreamed of leaving the comforts and joys of home to test my fate in what we considered the land of milk and honey – Metro Manila. But it has turned out that the comforts and joys at home that I enjoyed – and quite sadly, took for granted – are the very things that I miss. I spent a big part of my life in that peaceful city, and I just cannot wait for another chance to book a flight home and spend a week or two there.

Yes, I’ve been staying in Metro Manila for almost a year, but I still miss my hometown: Dumaguete City.

For many Dumagueteños, the fact that Forbes magazine recently included the city in its list of the top places in the world to retire is no surprise, but it also gives them a sense of pride and appreciation for their hometown. Its rich culture, particularly in the literary and visual arts, and the presence of many universities make the city a melting pot of intellect, skill, and talent.

But if you ask me, who lived in the city for 11 years before moving to Manila, here are four reasons why thoughts of Dumaguete still make me feel homesick:

1. Its laid-back culture and lifestyle still makes it pretty difficult to adjust to the fast-paced and bustling life in Metro Manila.

Rush hour? What rush hour? Even during the holidays when local department stores are filled with people doing last-minute Christmas shopping, traffic isn’t much of a problem in Dumaguete, primarily because most people use motorcycles to get around. Many places in the city can also be reached within 15 minutes at most, traffic or no traffic. The only times when traffic jams bite are during fiestas or major motorcades.

2. The cost of living is much lower!

It’s an obvious truth. When I was in college, I didn’t quite understand the surprise many people from big cities get when they look at the prices of things in Dumaguete. That is, until I got home for Silliman University’s Founders’ Day celebration last August and was shocked upon seeing that a cup of iced mocha in a local coffee shop cost P90. And that’s a big glass that would cost around P160-P170 in Metro Manila.

Dumaguete commuters, meanwhile, are saved from the ills of expensive flag-down rates (not to mention abusive drivers) of taxis, thanks to the pedicab (or the tricycle). And remember when I said that you can get to almost anywhere in Dumaguete in just fifteen minutes? The pedicab helps you do just that – even swifter, in some cases.
 

Dumaguete is home to one of the country's top educational insitutions, Silliman University.

3. After all these years, Dumaguete still is the “City of Gentle People.”

A Metro Manila resident would rightly be vigilant over their valuables, given the countless cases of snatching that happen here daily. But Dumagueteños (most, if not all) do not have that fear at all. A friend told me once that he left his iPhone on Rizal Boulevard, and found it untouched in the same spot after three hours.

More than that, people there are more than willing to help tourists when they get lost, as long as they ask for it. Dumagueteños are game to help them out, no matter how trivial or time-wasting the matter might turn out to be.

4. Its big sense of hospitality makes it easy for anyone, even those who weren’t born and raised the city, to call it 'home.'

This is especially true for people who come to Dumaguete—from other places in the country or the world—to study. In Silliman University, for example, graduates still make it a point to come back to their “home” to celebrate Founders’ Day every August. The overall culture, the good-natured locals, and the high-quality education make it hard for people to forget the city no matter how long they’ve been away from it. It’s a feeling that you can only understand when you spend a few years in Dumaguete. Its homey feeling is undeniably surreal.

It’s pretty tough to describe in an 800-word article how beautiful and welcoming Dumaguete is. But with all that said, it’s also a good place to take your family and friends to for the holiday season, or for any other vacation for that matter. To everyone in Dumaguete and to those who consider it home, Maayong Pasko! — BM, GMA News