It always has everything to do with the people. Places can be magnificent, but people defines the place. It was an amazing journey to Sabtang, meeting one of the most resilient tribes in the world, reconnecting with the purest and simplest definition of life and contentment. People live such easy and non complicated life and it makes me feel like this chase for happiness is over rated. They reminded me the strength of root and identity, and how far a strong solid core can lead you into the future. I felt safe and supported in the hands of the native Ivatans. Taking a walk with them into the wilderness was like venturing into Jurassic Park with the most composed and chill rangers, just so darn freaking cool. Sabtang is easily 20 years or way more behind modern civilisation, but that doesn’t take the pride away from the people. You see beautiful plants decorating each and every households, or on each sides of the roads leading up to their barangays, defining their attitudes towards life — we may be the poorest on paper, but that doesn’t make life less beautiful. And guess what, f*ck money, they don’t even have a market. They grow and eat their own crops and they jump into the sea whenever they need fish on the dining table. Yeah of course they have grocery stores too, and unfair to them because they live on a geographically deserted island the prices are almost 3X the price we usually pay in the city. They even have a grocery store called the honesty store, where you go in take anything you need and leave the money on the table. God is their eyes they say. When once a typhoon that was supposed to hit them turned towards Manila causing huge number of casualties, they said with broken hearts and in utmost sincerity that “it should’ve just hit us, we are more prepared for it”. I can go on and on and on, but right now I am just feeling grateful to have experienced this. Sharing the experience through the program #AMedicalJourney #寻医 on Channel U soon. On a side note, a million thanks for making this soul searching journey possible @augustpictures , always what I’ve wanted. @ Sabtang, Batanes
