Late 2019, during our trip to Hong Kong with Ar-ar I was told by my friend, Sophia that they will be opening a Vegan/Vegetarian Café with a Yoga Studio in Dauin, Negros Oriental. Being vegan and with a background in the restaurant industry, I was asked to help them out in opening the café. That time, I just resigned from my job and I was very up for the opportunity. Anahaw, the name of the café was supposed to open by May 2020 but due to the pandemic the construction was halted and everything was delayed. January 2020 came and it was finally time for me to go to Dauin since Anahaw was scheduled to open in mid-February.
When I arrived there, 14 days quarantine was still required in Dauin and I have to comply. I stayed in Bong Bongo Divers for my quarantine. You can read my quarantine experience here and see all the food I consumed and the things that I was up to that time.
Even after my quarantine and 1 month stay in Bongo, I was still welcome to hang out and even cook.
Thankful for these ladies for making my stay in Bongo so memorable. They were very helpful all the time. They always welcome me whenever I visit or hang out there.
Enjoying my morning smoothie with Nanika by the pool.
No, I only pose there for the photo, I didn't practice there.
I was very excited when I first moved to Dauin. I spent so many months inside the house in Talisay with my 2 dogs and for a person that constantly travels, goes to the beach, goes to the mountains, and chases waterfalls, the lockdown made it difficult for anyone to travel but when I moved to Dauin, everything was accessible. Aside from the fact that I was able to work in an establishment that aligns with my beliefs and values, living in Dauin was a dream. I was able to practice yoga more than ever, I mean, there’s a studio above the café where I work and I can attend any class anytime and I can practice in the studio whenever it’s available. I have met a lot of amazing people because of Anahaw but our common interest in yoga made it easier for us to connect. I also made friends with people who don’t practice yoga but I low-key encourage them to practice too.
After moving out to Bongo, my new place was so close to this abandoned port. I go there sometimes to practice yoga. Outdoor for a change.
If you are not familiar with Dauin, it is a small municipality in the south of Negros Oriental and it’s 20 minutes from Dumaguete City. Dauin has an amazing coastline and a word-class diving spot (but I never did diving lol). As mentioned, the beach is very accessible there. It’s a 1-minute walk from Anahaw so whenever I have a break I just go there. Sometimes I swim, sometimes I hang out with friends, or sometimes just sit in the sand and listen to the waves and feel the wind touching my skin. Often I will also go to Bongo Bongo. Sit by the pool, sit by the bar, and chit-chat to anyone who is there, and just chill to kill time. These are some of the photos I took during my stay there in Dauin while if off from work or on my day off.
If there's one thing I miss being in Dauin and working for Anahaw, it's the food. I was so blessed to be surrounded with food that I can consume with no worries because I know it's vegan-friendly. I also enjoyed making my smoothie bowls and taking photos of our food. I have always first dibs in any dish the kitchen would like to introduce in the menu and/or specials.
Overall, my experience in Dauin was very special. It’s something that I would always treasure and including the people that I met there. I’d love to stay in Dauin much longer but I felt the need to come back here to Cebu. I felt that I had so much of the chill and laid-back life on the island of Negros that I missed the busy city life. I missed the traffic, the accessibility of many things, the environment, and everything that to love about Cebu. It was a difficult decision to make but it has to be made. I’m excited about what is in store for me now that I’m back in Cebu. Though I have to start from scratch again I will surely learn so much more in this journey.