When I was in college, that was one year ago, whenever someone asked me where I plan to work, I always replied ‘anywhere except Manila.’ My first job was in Los Banos, Laguna. I worked there as a researcher for a DOST-JSPS project. My life there was very comfortable, foods are inexpensive, walking distance office and affordable apartment.

After I passed the board exam, I decided not to renew my contract and applied to embedded power company in Eastwood City. I got the offer and accepted it and that’s the start of my life as employee here in Manila. Life in this city was depressing at the start but as time pass by we all adjust to our new life and environment. Here’s the 8 inevitable struggles we are facing or you need to face if your planning to work in this big city:

1. Heavy traffic

Every people who have been to Manila knew this. The struggle of commuting in this city is real. I tried to commute from my home at Montalban, Rizal to Eastwood City. It is approximately 30km away and according to Waze when the traffic is light, it is approximately 1hr travel but when I try to commute during rush hour it takes 3hrs. If your work start at 8am you must wake up at 3am and leave at 4am. That’s a really big sacrifice. It’s like killing yourself every single day.

2. High cost of living

Good apartments in Manila started at Php 7,000.00 which is good for 2 person exclusive of electricity, water bill and WiFi. Your apartment rental if you have a friend you can shared with might range from P5000.00 – P6000. Aside from apartment, you need to eat everyday, some employee who need to save for their family cook in their apartment and pack a lunch but if your timid and don’t know how to cook you need to buy minimum of P70.0o per meal. If you are a teenager like me, your cost of living here might range from P10,000 to P15,000 per month depending on your lifestyle.You must have at least P18,000 m0nthly salary to survive in this congested city.

3. Unsafe Streets

Although there are many street lights but streets in this city still is unsafe specially beyond 10PM. Snatchers and holdaper are everywhere. I saw with my naked eye when a snatcher stole a phone from a bus passenger and the owner cannot do anything but to scream ‘snatcher, snatcher yung phone ko’ and cried. Living in this dangerous city is sometimes creepy but as time pass by you will learn how to deal with them.

4. Very hot surroundings

If your from province you will miss the fresh and cool air. In this city, even the air from your electric fan is warm. You cannot sleep well because of sweat flowing in your back. You will hate the uncomfortable feeling during commute because it’s very hot and jeepneys are overloaded. Every employee here struggle with this and we just accepted that it’s our way of life.

5. Never ending line to PUV terminal

This is the most depressing part of living here in this city if you don’t have your own vehicle for transportation. This is the reason why I acquire my own motorcycle. Every time I arrived at the terminal and saw how long the line is? I always curse the government and always said ‘Kailan kaya uunlad ang Pilipinas?’. For regular commuters that is normal for them and they already adjusted for this kind of life.

6. Insufficient number Public Utility Vehicle (PUV).

This related to number 5 but it’s different. Let me elaborate it. I experienced this when I was commuting from Eastwood City to Montalban. Every time I wait for a Jeepney going to Cubao they were always full. Guess what? You need to ran and chase the Jeepney and climb to it in order to go to have a ride. I really hate that life. I admired those people who struggle and survived with that everyday, it really requires tons of patience to endure that.

7. Night shift schedule

I never experience the night shift schedule but I’ve known people who work as call center agent and struggling with this. Night shift schedule will destroy your body clock or circadian rhythm. They are the people who are awake at night and sleeping at daytime. They work at night because their customers are based in different time zones like US.

8. Toxic colleagues

I know some of you might say they are toxic because you let them. Why care for them? Don’t bother yourself about there behavior it’s their life anyway. I agree with you. But to those who are very sensitive person like me it matters. Dealing with toxic colleagues is depressing specially if your new in the workplace. You have to accept them as who they are so that you can move on and focus with your life too. Or you can invite them to a bible study group in your company so that he will have a positive outlook in life too. We all know a lot of stories like a drug addict became a pastor or a mad man became an evangelist. The book of life is powerful. Trust me it worth trying.

Bringing It Together

All the struggles I stated above became my struggles too. But I design my lifestyle in a way I can eliminate those struggles. Acquiring a motorcycle to be exempted in traffic, attending bible study group in the company to have a positive outlook in life and searching for undervalue apartment to minimize cost of living. At the end of the day, it’s your life and you can make whatever you want with it. Own it and make the life you always wanted. The world is yours.