They said that you can be a digital nomad. That means you could work anywhere. So here’s how my workation in Legazpi went. You gotta love Legazpi City!

The Legazpi Workation

Just before school starts, my mom and I talked about going home and take a break. After I told her about my struggles with anxiety and her recent visit here in Manila, she told me that I needed to be home. I was hesitant at first because I was working from home. Meaning, I really needed strong and stable internet connection to be able to do my work. Second, our connection at home was nothing near to strong and stable. Therefore, it gave me the scare that I might lose my job.

So my supposed flight going home was tentatively plotted last June. But since we took part of Pineapple Lab’s Art Market, I had to push it back. I just flew earlier this July.

On the way home

My mom got me an early flight, its departure was scheduled at 8am. Of course, the usual me would still be asleep but thanks to my numerous alarms, I got to leave early. Luckily, traffic was not that much of a bother so I got earlier than usual at the airport.

Sadly, I didn’t have photos in flight or when I landed because all I could think of was seeing my mom and aunt. Plus the fact that they will be treating me breakfast at Bigg’s!

Being Home

It was such a lovely feeling since I have been living there since I was three. Mayon always greeted me in the morning, before I went to school. When I saw her again from our house, she gave me that rejuvenating feeling that I very much needed after being away for months.

From our house, it would be just a quick walk to see the whole of Mayon. Before, it was as easy as just stepping out. But since there are more houses, they have blocked the view little by little.

Nothing much changed at our home. It was still the same, the cozy home that I grew up in. My nook got modified but most importantly, my piano was still there. Just a back story, whenever I would feel bad about myself or just plain sad, I would play the piano. Reminisce the time that I was still learning and studying, the so-called good old days. Sometimes, I wish I was just a kid.

The Struggle

So, I have been working as a freelancer and there is one very important element for us. We need a stable and strong internet connection! Without it, we cannot work. We have the benefit of working anywhere as long as there is an internet connection.

Some stay a coworking spaces, cafes, lounges yet sometimes, just work from our homes. Here in the metro, I use a dsl connection from one of the popular and somehow trusted internet providers. They have been servicing me for around two (2) years now and the only issue I faced was the inconvenience when transferring the connection. This happens when I move to a new place of residence. But so far, connection has been good.

Now, why did I have some struggles?

One thing’s for sure, I feared that I might lose some clients because of the situation at home. I told my mom about my situation and she understood it. Made sure that we have internet connection at home. However, just a few hours after using the connection at home, we suddenly got disconnected out of nowhere. Imagine my dismay!

What did I do about this?

The immediate solution was to work in a cafe. This time, it is one of my favorite cafes ever. So, for me to be able to work during my stay there, I always go to Kaz Korean Dessert Cafe to work. Working here, I always have the chance to eat my favorite kind (or flavor) of bingsu and still accomplish some tasks.

So, you wonder why do I keep coming back here? Of course, if I have some reasons why I love this place, I have some reasons too why I dislike working there at times. Take note, I only dislike working there at times.

But of course, let’s not be parasites by just going inside to use the internet without buying anything.If there’s a lot of people in there, the connection may get slow. The mall’s wifi may be used but there’s a limit of an hour per device.

The other struggle was saving money. Particularly, saving money for food!

All of these are based on my observations while I was there.

As an aspiring digital nomad

I guess you really experience some weird feelings while working remotely. Some may look at you as a parasite in a cafe, using the internet for some social loafing. Yet truthfully, social media is part of the work.

Remember that even if the people may ridicule you for bringing your whole work station wherever you may be, you have the option to shut those out and just continue working hard for your dreams and goals! Some may judge us for using a large table but at least, we’re there and we’re also buying and supporting the business of the cafe or place where we’re at.

And of course, this vacation will never be complete without capturing Mayon’s beauty. Here are some photos I took while I was at Ayala Malls Legazpi.

You may click the image to see a better version.

The Queen’s Birthday

Last year, we celebrated mom’s birthday through a staycation at a hotel in Camarines Sur. This year, we had a luncheon event at our home to celebrate her name day.

Relatives, former colleagues and even my friends went there to celebrate with my mom. It was such a happy and tiring day for all of us! Even if we did not take as many photos as we can, we will always have our memories with us.

I guess, our eyes are still the best cameras in the world.

Lastly, it took me a few weeks before I finished this. I guess creativity block is just out there and it got me. Good thing it’s fading now.

If you’d like to try the place/s I mentioned, see this:

This is located in Ayala Malls Legazpi. A cafe wherein you can feel comfortable working or studying. You definitely must try Mango Cheese Bingsu!	It’s located in Makati, within the Central Business District. A coworking studio that caters mostly to startups, freelancers and virtual assistants. There’s a semi-private spot here in case you many some privacy while you study or work.	Uni Lounge is located in EGI Taft Tower. Mostly caters to students, professors and freelancers. My fave about this place is that if you feel tired of sitting down, you could just go up and lounge. Just lie on your back and rejuvenate.

For more information about these places, click on their logos to find out more. 

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post or ad. The food we ate were all paid by our resources. Photos are mine except for the logos of the places I mentioned; grabbed those from their social accounts. All opinions are mine.

So, how about you? How’s your life going?