Hello Summer! It’s been a busy 2.5 months as we started our new beach life here in Oslob, Cebu and I promise, I will be catching up on my blog posts and vlogs until I get more current with what’s happening with us. I may still insert some throwback travel posts from the past since I’ve collected a ton all these years. But for now, here is a vlog on how our transfer from Cagayan de Oro (where we lived, half the time, the other half was in Claveria) from Sept. 1, 2017 to Jan. 7, 2021) to Oslob, Cebu happened, how we got quarantined for 14 days when we got here, and what we did while in quarantine (Jan. 9-22, 2021). 

For those who are considering transferring to their respective provinces in this time of the pandemic, you can check out this related blog post:

BOAT TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS DURING A PANDEMIC IN THE PHILIPPINES (FROM CAGAYAN DE ORO TO CEBU

It may feel like such a hassle at first with all the requirements, but for us, the stress and costs were all so worth it. We spent about P100K+ for everything we paid for, the bulk of which went to the truck hauling rentals and cargo shipping because we did bring all our stuff with us. Then when we got here, we had a dirty kitchen and laundry area constructed outside our hotel unit in Mahal’s mini-resort — Oslob New Village which was finished just last month because I wanted to have my own kitchen and laundry area, and we also helped pay for a storage room Mama had built for our other stuff. We have so much stuff!!! I am such an introverted and DIY person that I don’t want to depend on their staff for our domestic chores. I interviewed someone who I could hire as a stay-out helper back in January but eventually decided against it because I am just not comfortable having someone else coming in and out and do chores we can do ourselves. Perhaps, next time, when there’s no more pandemic.

It also helps that Oslob is such a sleepy, rustic town without all the tourists around and it’s nearby so many other tourist spots here down the southwestern and southeastern parts of the whole Cebu province (Dalaguete, Argao, Alcoy, Boljoon, Sumilon, Alegria, Badian,  Moalboal, Aloguinsan, Ginatilan to name a few) so we get to travel every now and then without so much hassle anymore. And because there aren’t any tourists around compared to before the time of Covid, these beach destinations now look like semi-ghost towns most of the time. If not for our face shields, face masks, sanitization almost every 5 minutes, and tons of vitamins and herbs we drink every day, I’d forget that we are living in this time of the pandemic. And I’m glad I tend to forget about the pandemic since we got here! All that stress that city living brings disappeared the moment I smelled Oslob’s fresh air! Our Oslob life is just so simple, so serene, so peaceful, and rustic. Right after our quarantine period, we started hiking up the mountains, going to the beach early in the morning to watch the sunrise, visiting Cuartel again, doing bike rides, swimming in the sea and so much more! I’ll share these things with you on my next vlog! Now, I’m asking myself why didn’t we do this transfer much sooner! 

Anyway, here’s sharing with you our transfer and quarantine life the first month of this year!

IMPORTANT NOTES TO REMEMBER:

1. We’re living in a hotel unit in Mahal’s mini resort.
2. We didn’t get swabbed anymore but we were asked to strictly quarantine inside the resort. No going outside of the property yet. If we needed anything, we asked the staff to buy for us outside. 
3. We spent our first two weeks fixing our place and continuing our mushroom farming activities since we already transferred our business here.
4. Towards the end of our quarantine period, we celebrated Mama’s 76th birthday and Mahal’s 42nd birthday at the resort with Mahal’s family and resort staff. 
5. We never exhibited any symptoms and are perfectly fine as of this writing. 

This has been our best move so far and one of the best decisions we’ve made for our own mental health and well-being considering the world situation we are in. Thank you, God, for this blessing!