Lights after Dark

Nearly two weeks ago I went home to my hometown. Contrary to recent news about violence in the surrounding regions near the place where I grew up, I still find the place peaceful. I think this is because this was the place I grew up and was accustomed to.

I arrived a day before New Year. Everyone I knew was busy preparing for New Years Eve. Somehow, I still managed to meet up with good old friends. But aside from meeting with up with my old friends, I wanted to take picture of a particular place. The City Hall. The City Hall is known to be well lit specially on Christmas Season. And the lights go out only after New Year. And that is what I was trying to do, I wanted to make sure that I will be able to take a picture of the City Hall before the lights go out. My aunt who works at the Human Resources Department advised me take pictures as soon as I arrived. That is, considering that I will be arriving on the 30th of December and I only have a few more days before the lights will be taken out and I might just miss the opportunity to take a picture of the well lighted City Hall. But as expected, it took me some time before I can take photos of the City Hall, never the less, I think I my shot gave justice to how beautiful the lights are.

the place where i grew up

This is the Zamboanga City Hall. This is how it looks like at night. Although we hear news about the dangers living in this city, for someone who grew up in this place like me, I would say the news are just sometimes over exaggerated.

The city, up to now is composed of multiple types of ethnicity. Although majority still comprises of Christian and Muslim community, we also have individuals belonging to different groups. The likes of Yakan, Badjaos, Bisaya are only some of the few.

I have not been living in Zamboanga for nearly 5 years now but I still constantly come back to my home town. I go home at an average of 4 times a year; I guess that would be every quarter of a year. Every time I go home I make sure that I dine out with my college friends and try out the newest restaurant in town and chill out at the newest coffee house in town. This has been my usual routine every time I go home.

Not much has changed since the time I left the place and work somewhere else. I guess development is not that rampant in Zamboanga. I do not take that as a bad sign though. Zamboanga is not that big in terms of its population, so I guess slow development and growth is much likely to be expected. Still, this place will always be my hometown.