So Far, So Close: When a Filipino Driver Showed Me What We Miss Along the Way
The taxi driver who never visited the attraction near his home made me think about all I've missed back home
📍Cebu, The Philippines
Flight days always feel different to me.
They have their own special routine, completely unlike other days. I don't jump on my computer first thing in the morning like I usually do. Instead, I mostly handle tasks from my phone, and might only open my laptop at the airport if I have extra time to kill.
On flight day mornings, I always pack everything at the last minute. Why not? Most of my stuff is still in the suitcase anyway, it's just a matter of collecting toiletries and a few small items that were scattered around the room.
This morning I double-checked that I hadn't forgotten anything and went down to reception at eight-thirty, even though checkout wasn't until noon. I left my luggage and sat down for breakfast, just like every other morning at this hotel. The waiter already knows my order (two sunny-side-up eggs and toast) and what coffee I drink (iced coffee with two shots of espresso).
We chatted a bit about coffee, and I told him about the coffee in Melbourne. After breakfast, I checked out and paid for all my meals from the past few days – 150 shekels for four days of full meals, which is still considered expensive because I ate at restaurants instead of cooking for myself. This is exactly why I decided to live in a place like this.
I ordered a Grab, and while waiting, the security guard helped me with my luggage and waited with me on the street until the taxi arrived.
"Are you going back to Australia?" he asked, and I realized he had overheard my conversation with the waiter when I mentioned Melbourne coffee.
"Oh no, I'm actually continuing to Vietnam," I replied with a smile.
"Ah, wonderful! And you just keep wandering like this? Aren't you married? Children?" he asked with interest, searching for the right words in English.
"No, I just want to wander the world. I know it sounds strange, but I'm not looking for a husband and not interested in children," I answered gently, understanding how different this is from his worldview.
He continued trying to convince me that starting a family is amazing, sharing that he has one daughter and wants more. "But it's expensive," he said, his expression changing.
"Yes, children are an expensive business," I agreed, thinking about all the other reasons I don't want children, but sparing him that discussion.
The red taxi arrived, and an attentive driver emerged, opening the car door for me. Both men loaded my suitcases into the car, and we set off.
I usually stay quiet in taxis, because that's what I'm used to from home – where only men have the privilege of chatting with taxi drivers, while I need to focus on making sure he's following the route and not planning to harm me. A twisted world.
Here, in a country like the Philippines, I feel much safer and freer to talk with taxi drivers, and with people in general. In Australia, most taxi drivers I've encountered are Muslim, and needless to say, it's better that I keep quiet because of my Israeli background.
Here in the Philippines, people are very curious about Israeli culture, and conversations with them feel natural and enriching for both sides.
This taxi driver also told me he had watched YouTube videos about the war and asked about the government system and political parties (which was quite difficult for me to explain in English). I told him about the sirens, the shelters, and life in Israel.
"Ah, in Korea they also have a security room in every house. I worked there for ten years," he shared, and we immediately changed the subject.
He told me about Korean culture, about how there are many Koreans in the Philippines, and that it's one of their preferred destinations. There are even entire neighborhoods of Koreans here.
"I really did see a lot of Korean products in the supermarket! And there are Korean restaurants on every corner," I said, surprised by this connection I wasn't aware of.
"Yes, they're a large community here."
He continued to share that he had also lived in Japan for several years and described the beauty of the country. "Everything there is so clean, even the remote villages," he explained. He learned Japanese and Korean, but ultimately decided to return here, to the neighborhood where he grew up and continue his life here.
I told him I had been to Moalboal and how much I loved the place!
"You know? I've never been there!" he said with a half-smile, understanding how absurd that is.
"What??? You must go there! It's only a three-hour drive from here, and you drive all day anyway," I laughed.
He said he had been to similar places on Cebu Island but never visited Moalboal itself.
This makes me think about people who travel around Israel, or tourists who come to wonderful places in Israel, but they never particularly interested me. It's funny how we can wander so far and miss the place we come from.
Your support helps me to continue experiencing new worlds and sharing them with you through my words. Sometimes, a single cup of coffee can make a difference.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Who Am I? | The Journey Through Time | The Daily Journey
I love the last line. So true for so many. People forget to see the beauty when it’s right there to see.