Batanes is composed of three islands namely Batan (which is the mainland of the island), Sabtang and Itbayat (which is the nearest island to Taiwan). People of Batanes is called
Ivatan, where I am also connected with because I have the blood of a
Ivatan in my veins. My grandmother is a
Ivatan native, she grew and raised at the small town in Batanes called Uyugan. My grandmother always taught me about things in Batanes, On how they raised pigs, cows, carabaos and plants. It gave me a picture also on how then would life be in Batanes compared here in Manila where every different people and different dialects are associated. Then this came after I completed my two-year course and my auntie send me to batanes as my grandmother also requested. As I arrived at the Basco Terminal Airport, My Auntie Cel (which is my Auntie's sister) approach me and I'm surprised to see my grandmother also with her. After we meet each other, we decided to commute (well, were not that rich type family) and for my first time life experience, I saw the sea up close and in personal (well, I'm also a dummy about what does a beach really look like in real life because I just see things like that merely on the net and tv). After a long hour of commute, we've finally arrived at our destination, Uyugan, Batanes, Well really at first I'm kind of a disappointed because I'm not familiar with plenty of people and a peaceful surrounding unlike in the city. My first night at my auntie Cel's house gave me a quite depression. I can't sleep that night because its a weird thing, I can't sleep because I don't hear cars, motorcycles or dogs, a very quiet night for me, I think I fell asleep at around 3 o'clock in the morning which gives me a headache.
Well my life at the province made me realized that people in the city and in Batanes are merely different in some other ways and how they do things. I found my relatives to be so patient and diligent on making nets and fishing materials. People also are so helpful that even they just met you, they'll give you something that made you remember them even in a plain or simplest way they can. I'm surprised also that merely all natives of uyugan and other locals are relatively connected, which leads me to know more people and friends. Even I'm a stranger, they treat me as they really know me inside out. They taught me their dialect, I remember my first
Ivatan word is "
kuman ta na!" which means "let's eat!", It took me a long period of time to understand and spoke ivatan dialect. I've also worked their as an Office Helper doing clerical and administrative support to departments of the Local Government. To summarize it all, my experience in batanes made me a new person, living not in what others way want but to live with integrity and giving my best to anything that I do.