Nightlife E. It denotes clubbing and seemingly unending party. A large chunk of the youth’s social life is devoted to this. It would be phony if I didn’t admit that, on certain occasions, I experience nightlife to bond with friends.

‘Taya-tayaan’

Have you ever considered the nightlife of the rural youth, away from the metro’s chic bars and  deafening club music?

In rural areas, teens are happy playing “taya-tayaan” on the streets or just bonding with friends in benches in the town plaza. They do all these only after a day of  back-breaking farm work and household chores.

Unlike city kids, they do not have easy access to the coolest hangouts. The grandest gig  happens in the town fiesta, where a local celebrity is usually invited to entertain barrio folk. It’s a bacchanalian feast. They join activities and games that give away simple prizes.

What they really look forward to is this rare opportunity to showcase their talents in various contests. In these events they have fun, probably the same level city kids have in their nightlife.

If you are too cosmo, it is almost impossible to imagine  people enjoying modest things.

Simple

Life is hard, yet the young seem unaware of the simple ways to have a good time, without having to spend too much. It takes a lot to be humble and simple, too. Are we ready to go back to plain, pure, clean fun? Taya-tayaan and playing guitar may seem boring, but they’re safer and undoubtedly cheaper.

There are times, after a night on the town, we wake up cursing the aches and pains of a hangover. Next time we drown ourselves in alcohol, let us take a moment to consider that our pain is a trade-off for experiencing the more complex version of nightlife.  A few miles outside the city, there are youths enjoying the simplified version of it.