The Real Siargao
Siargao was my first Asian destination ever, and I had quite a cultural shock when we got there. Everything is different from what I'm used to, starting with how houses are built, life habits, transportation, laws, hobbies, and so on.
First, (in case you're like me and you didn't know) basketball is taken pretty seriously in the Philippines. It's their favourite sport. There were basketball courts everywhere we went, and there were kids playing all the time. One day, my boyfriend who was wearing a Durant shirt, went to a pub to ask if they were broadcasting the football game live that night. A few seconds into the conversation, the bar staff asked to take pictures with him.
The #1 mean of transportation there is the scooter, as well as its variations. Let me explain... most scooters are transformed into tricycles / carriages, and can accommodate a lot of people. Also wearing a helmet isn't standard in Siargao, in fact we asked for one, and couldn't get one as there were none where we rented our scooter (sorry mom! we tried). I felt like each vehicle was a mini version of what we have here in the Western world. Public buses are called jeepneys, they're less than half the size of our buses, and there are only two benches facing each other to sit on. Kids' school buses are also tiny, and so colourful. They're gorgeous!
*Whenever you see Coca-Cola bottles for sale on the streets, they're actually not filled with Coca-Cola... but gasoline. It's an ideal, quick and cheap format for everyone driving a two-wheeler to tank with.The sun rises early in the morning, so people are up early, which I really liked! Makes you feel like you really take full advantage of each day. There's also kind of a nightlife scene, which we did not explore. Every night, one restaurant / bar hosts the party; you need to ask around to know where the party is at on a specific day.
Dogs! Dogs everywhere! This island is full of dogs. They each seem to have their specific territory, and it is common to see some dogs barking and fighting each other over their space, or some food. They are super friendly and they like to be petted :) They will also obviously come around for food... but hey.. how can you say no to these cuties!
I was surprised to see that most houses are built with wood, which is not something I would have expected considering that the island gets many typhoons every year. Main towns like General Luna have more concrete houses, but poorer villages still have very rustic wooden houses, which I thought was really really sad.
People there are so kind, especially kids. They're always smiling, and curious to know you. They often say hello, ask where you're from, your name, and they like to make high-fives! We brought a polaroid camera in order to capture some photos of the kids and give them away. They were all so happy about it :)
You would probably not expect it, but there are two college campuses on the island. They are both part of the Institute of Technology where students can get their bachelor's degree (eg. engineering, computer science, technical education). This is part of the country's efforts to help young kids from Siargao to access education, which I think is awesome!
The atmosphere is pretty special. It is a small island full of surfers, and has a very laidback atmosphere. Never be in a rush to get things done: things will get done eventually. The airport arrivals area is the size of my living room; they bring luggages directly to you in the waiting room, and service is generally slow no matter where you go. Just be patient. That's part of what makes this place so charming :)
These photos are only a glimpse into Siargao's real life, and unfortunately they were all pretty much taken during cloudy / rainy days. All I will remember is how kind people there were, and how they have made our trip perfect!