My "Lugar Lang"

I have been immersed in different places, from my birthplace to my relatives' provinces, and currently, my province. Through being immerse I have experienced different cultures and different ways of life that have shaped me throughout my life. Having a sense of place is an embodiment of your creativity, as what you grew up in is the usual canvas for your writing. Writing with a sense of place is not just an immersion for the author and the readers--it's a journey.

Maybe my permanent address is back in Dasmarinas, Cavite. Though "Etivac" had some negatively funny reputation, there's something that really draws me in every time I try to deny where I'm from. Ever since I can remember, when my parents and I traveled to Dasma to visit our permanent home, the peacefulness of the place really drew me in for the first time. A child who grew up from apartment to apartment in Metro Manila, where the pollution is prominent, and the population is dense. It was a sigh of relief to have a forever home. Here in Davao, I can just say "lugar lang ya" where I am in Mintal, wherein my "lugar lang" or "para po" is the front of the main gate of our subdivision, a "para po" to the manong driver after an exhausting travel from school--a memorable and exhausting journey that I miss deeply.