Until the night descended and the tide lowered around 7 pm, we had some time to spend. initially, I thought of heading back to the hotel for a rest, but he kindly invited me to his place for a few hours. The prospect of experiencing a local house in the Philippines was exhilarating.
The house was fascinatingly built on the ocean, its wooden supports stretching down to the seabed. It looked quite old and fragile. I had never seen such a house in my country. Back home, building a house like this would be illegal due to the potential harm to other residents. Earthquakes would easily damage such a structure. It was a very tropical-style house, with no door at the entrance, much like a treehouse.
We disembarked from the boat and carefully climbed a creaking ladder to reach the house. At the top, I saw a happy neighbor family with a few small kids playing, an adorable sight. He told me to follow him, and soon we arrived at his house. He took me to his balcony, where I could rest. Before stepping onto the balcony, I washed my feet, covered in sand, with water from a huge blue bucket. The water seemed to be collected rainwater, as the bucket had no lid and many black molds outside. I decided not to look inside, just in case.
I found a small chair and sat down. As night fell, the view grew more mesmerizing. Without much electricity, I could see the stars and the ocean so clearly. Time seemed to slow down, the wind was comfortable, and the heat faded as the sunset. It became too dark to see, so I asked if there was a light. He brought a lightbulb, connected it, and after some effort, it flickered on like a few fireflies gathering at the ceiling.
In that dim light, my thoughts wandered to my life in Japan. Light switches, running water, and things I took for granted suddenly seemed like luxuries. I felt immense gratitude for all the conveniences I had. The happiness of the people here made me reflect on my own happiness. I realized that happiness is not about having a good career, money, or material things. It is a mindset. I felt grateful for hot showers, safe roads, clean water, and a comfortable bed.
Lost in these thoughts, It was soon 7 pm, and we set out for a crab hunt. With the tide low, we walked where we had earlier canoed. He knew the local spots well, and after a 20-minute walk, we reached an isolated area. Surrounded by nothing but nature, the view was breathtaking. I could see the curvature of the earth. Although I did not catch many crabs, he caught around 30 small crabs and some fish. His skill impressed me. It was late, so I decided to return to the hotel. He kindly offered me a ride to a nearby 7/11, and I expressed my appreciation.
However, the day was not over. Google Maps led me astray, and I ended up at a completely different, abandoned place. My phone battery died, and I felt deeply exhausted. Instinct told me not to stop walking. A few minutes later, a tricycle, a traditional bike taxi, approached. The old lady driving knew where “Barrio House Mactan” was. I was immensely grateful when she took me there without charging an exorbitant fee. Her kindness was a warm reminder of humanity’s goodness. I finally went to bed and slept like a baby until the next morning.
In this experience, I found a profound sense of gratitude for the small things in life and a deeper understanding of true happiness.