Oida Oasis

It’s summer, a perfect time to go on a vacation. Examples include walking along a beach’s shoreline during sunrise, dinner at sunset on a boat, and sipping cocktails beside a pool. Right now, these are things of the past, until medical professionals develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Because of the pandemic, everything is on hold. Travel plans, partying, dining out, and enjoying nature are not ideal right now. We’re cooped up in our homes, afraid to go somewhere else, and we’re even unable to do the things we used to enjoy.

For the past few months, we’ve been trying to fight this virus. Most of us are doing our best to cope with it while remaining hopeful. If there’s one positive thing that this virus has brought us, it’s the chance to spend more time with our family and loved ones. We were so busy with our jobs and how to make ends meet, that we sometimes neglected how important they were to us.

There’s still a lot of things that we can do to have fun. Sometimes those little moments are more enjoyable and become tomorrow’s precious memories. Since we spent a lot of time at home, my family decided to decorate and improve our backyard. During the lockdown, we planted lots of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. It’s been our goal to incorporate these things into sustainability. We’ve been harvesting some of the plants and used them as ingredients for my cooking.

Our garden is just like a resort—but in our own backyard. Every corner feels like an instant getaway to a tropical destination. My husband built a gazebo and hung the hammock that we bought from the Philippines. We hung some lanterns and lights so that we can enjoy them in the warm summer evenings while roasting marshmallows in the fire pit. Under the hammock, we placed a mat for our siestas after our lunch at noon.

On the other side of the patio, there’s a pergola with a rocking bench, and behind it is another hammock that two people can fit into. At the end of the arbor is a grill (with an umbrella above it) that we use whenever we have barbecues and gatherings. At nighttime, we play board games, eat dinner, listen to music while sipping cocktails, and eat s’mores afterward. We hang out there until late at night just enjoying each other’s company. If we can just be creative, we can recreate the ambiance of our dreamed summer vacation. Despite this uncertainty, I hope that all of you will remain positive so that someday our lifestyle will go back to normal.