People these days have become so creative when it comes to names. Take Elon Musk for example, the guy is probably generations ahead of his time when it comes to kids' names: X Æ A-12 , or maybe he just felt the need to come up with something that stands out.
Similarly, this mall in Panglao, Bohol is named "MOADTO" which means "to go" in Visayan, "to go" as in "Mo-adto sa mi sa mall (We are going to the mall)". If the mall is named MOADTO Strip Mall, "We are going to MOADTO" would translate to "Mo-adto mi sa MOADTO "... clever, I know.
I visited the place with my brothers on a simple afternoon right after Holy Week. Being cooped up at home for several days was gradually taking its toll on my mental health. The complicated plant in me needed some sunshine. Yes, you get that reference: People are just complicated plants.
The place has a lot of open spaces for a mall, which is good considering our current global situation. It looked more like a courtyard than the generic, air-conditioned mall, but one thing that sets it apart from most of the malls here is that it's just by the beach overlooking the northwest sea.
I was never a beach person growing up, or even someone who would miss going outside. I have always been an indoorsy introvert ever since I could remember. However, going through this pandemic made me re-evaluate my values, and I admit, I miss the sunshine, I missed the beach, I missed looking at people smile, and going outside without having to worry about coming too close to another person.
Sometimes it makes me think of all the times I tried to "keep my hands to myself" and "keep my cool" when it comes to showing affection to anyone, including my brothers. My brothers and I? Yes. We're the type who don't do that.
The lack of physical affection during this mandatory phase of social distancing is one of the things I admit to be starving for. Even just the mere thought of an "agbay (one arm around the shoulders)" or a warm embrace from a friend makes me slightly emotional.
It makes me wonder further on how my brothers really are these days. Despite their hectic online class schedules, several academic deliverables and a heap amount of house chores at home, I never got to really break the ice and know how they are currently coping. Hmmm. It's not like I haven't tried bombing the occasional "How are you, really?" as well, I have but maybe this part is still something I need to work on.
It's actually the first time ever that I went on a trip with just my brothers and I. It was a good break from the daily routine of just staying inside the dark, claustrophobic, four walls of our house, fighting over house chores and ignoring each other most of the day. We really had fun with each other and even did a photoshoot.
Being outside and having fun was a welcome break from staring at digital screens for 16 hours a day, everyday, and facing grueling amounts of paperwork puke-able . Our frustrations as twenty year old's this period seem to be too deep that our emotions can't keep up. And although I know that it is going to be how it is for a little more while, I will be forever thankful to have this short time in the sunshine at MOADTO with my constants 💕.
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