MANILA, Philippines – It’s been nearly 3 weeks since Tarish Zamora moved to a house on a hill in Urbiztondo, La Union.

The house, a breezy shack made of wood and straw, has an unobstructed view of the now-empty beach, and the still-breathtaking sunsets on this side of the Philippines.

The house, Alon & Sandy, is a villa normally rented out on Airbnb – but for now, Tarish’s boyfriend Rico, a local surfer, is taking care of it, and she moved there to be with him during the quarantine. Since the lockdown, it’s just been her, Rico, and their dog Cooper.

At 7 am, she wakes up, has breakfast, at sits down to stare out to the ocean, which they have a view of from where they stay.

At around 10 am, she works out, following a program sent to her by her coach in Manila.

At around 11 am, she helps her boyfriend while he cooks lunch. They eat, and she takes over the dishwashing. After that, she fills the hours by watching shows (she’s currently savoring Crash Landing On You), browsing the internet (though she tries to limit her screen time), talking to her friends, or sunbathing when the sun is out. 

Sometimes, she does yoga or learns Tiktok choreography before the sun sets. At 6 pm, she goes up to the rooftop or sits at the balcony to watch the sun go down. When it’s dark, she and Rico prep for dinner. After they eat, she goes back to watching her shows, or video calls her friends and family. By 10 pm, she’s usually asleep.

It’s a simple, quiet life, seemingly detached from the daily chaos that goes on in other parts of the country. But for Tarish, the routine helps keep her grounded and helps her control her anxiety.

She had already been in La Union when she first heard that a lockdown was going to be imposed on Metro Manila. The news made her scared and anxious.

As a freelance photographer who splits her time between the surftown and the city, she initially wanted to go back to Manila because she had shoots lined up. She called her parents, and they told her that her shoots might be postponed anyway. They suggested she stay in La Union, so she could be around nature. They were right. All her shoots within the lockdown period were postponed.

The loss of her source of income made Tarish even more anxious. Her clients reassured her that they would be pushing through with the shoots as soon as they can, but Tarish says “it’s still scary because right now everything’s uncertain.”

Once she decided to stay in La Union, she immediately made sure to secure her helper’s finances for the lockdown period, and stocked up on food supplies and vitamins. Later on, they heard that a tighter lockdown was going to be implemented, preventing residents from even crossing barangays. She and her friends restocked one more time, and she hasn’t left her quarantine quarters since.

“Life here’s been so quiet,” Tarish said.

She shared that Rico, who grew up in La Union, said the town feels similar to how it used to be years ago, before all the hip restaurants opened and the beach parties started.

It sounds like a dream, to be able to experience a surftown like it was the undiscovered paradise it used to be – but with a ban on swimming and surfing, they can’t actually experience it at this time. They can only look, and enjoy the view.

At any rate, Tarish counts her blessings.

“I’m thankful I get to see the sunset everyday. I’m thankful I get to eat enough. I’m thankful I still get to connect with my family and friends online. I’m thankful Rico and Cooper are taking care of me and keeping me sane,” she shared. “I’m just really thankful that I’m comfortable right now. And that all my loved ones are safe.”

Like most people around the country, she is hoping the lockdown doesn’t extend. She already knows the first thing she’s going to do when the lockdown lifts.

“Surf, if there are waves,” she laughed. Indeed, what better way to celebrate the end of a quarantine than to dive right into the waters that she looks at from afar every day? – Rappler.com