I’ve been in Metro Manila for 5 years now, and I can say that life in the province is really different here. As a man from Davao City, I had to make many changes in my way of living to live here. There were things and actions I had to learn to live here.

In this list, I would like the readers of Young Pilipinas to know the things that may look mundane to some but are significant lifestyle changes to our brothers and sisters from the province.

Here are 5 things I’ve learned as a Probinsyano living in Metro Manila:

There are things from the province you won’t find here

It will be very rough when you are used to buying certain things that are within arm’s reach. In Davao City, it was normal to find “Sukang tuba,” a vinegar from coconut sap, from local wet markets in small plastic packs. It took me months to find a place that sold it, and it was very pricey from what I used to, as they only sell it in bottles.

If you are like me and you prefer your little luxuries from where you come from, you can spend a little time of your day searching where you can find the things you are looking for. There are a lot of Weekend Markets all over Metro Manila that may just have what you want.

They do not mind you mixing English with your Tagalog

When they say, “NCR is the melting pot of different cultures in the Philippines.”, they mean it. You can meet different people from different provinces here. Though Tagalog is the primary language used here, there is no one I have met that had a problem that I mixed some English into my Tagalog.

As a guy from Davao City whose first language is Visayan and English, getting used to speaking Tagalog took me a while. For example, I called my “Kalamansi” instead of “Limonsito.” As you learn, try to add a little English, especially if you don’t know the Tagalog translation of a particular word to make learning easier.

Transportation and commuting are very different

Something I want to share with Young Pilipinas readers is that living in the province, traveling was getting from point A to point B, either via Jeepney, Taxi, or Buses. Metro Manila has many ways to get from one place to another. Due to the number of people living here, there are apps where you can ride cars and motorcycles for a fee. Though some cities already implement the same, commuting through car/motorcycle taxi apps is more common in Metro Manila.

Another thing when it comes to commuting, it is very typical to walk or bike home in Metro Manila from work. In fact, people prefer to walk or bike their way home than commute. Not only is this an excellent way to exercise, but there are times when due to the traffic rush, finding a ride home is more challenging than usual. So, it’s very economical to ride a bike or walk home, especially if you live near your workplace.

Everything is fast paced

Since NCR is the center of commerce and business in the Philippines, everything second counts. The lifestyle here is built to accommodate that fast-paced nature. People here are usually busier and follow a strict schedule to their regular routine. It is not unusual to plan for weeks, or even months, to do certain activities just so that you do not ruin your schedule.

Not only that, but there are also many convenience stores on almost every street open 24 hours to make sure most of the essentials are within reach most of the time. There are a lot of fast-food chains built for convenience, and there are coffee shops with a drive-thru, which is pretty recent in certain places outside Metro Manila.

Phone apps can be your savior

To a lot of Young Pilipinas readers, having many apps on their phones for many reasons is normal. But to a guy who used to only have 3 or 4 social media apps on their phone, this was a shocker for me. Some apps are commonly used in Metro Manila but not elsewhere in the Philippines. Aside from the ride-hailing apps mentioned a while ago, food delivery apps were only available in NCR until recently.

Even those who have it already only have a few restaurants available to buy compared to the hundred available in Metro Manila. This has saved me my productivity, which would have been wasted if I had looked for something to eat.