During the height of the pandemic, staying connected through digital means was the order of the day.
Since everyone was self-isolating, social contact with our extended family was primarily done virtually, through phone calls, text messages and DMs on social media.
However, with the loosening of quarantine restrictions and more people moving about, it’s now time to transition to more personal connections and interactions, wouldn’t you say?
#DisconnectToReconnect
Admittedly, technology was my lifeline during the time of strict lockdowns:
- Social media kept me abreast of news and updates, not just among my friend groups but also among my extended family scattered across the country and the world
- Office messaging apps like Microsoft Teams and video conferencing apps like Zoom allowed me to still do my job and fulfill my work obligations
- Video streaming apps like Netflix, Apple TV and HBO GO kept me and my family entertained
However, all of this increased screen time does have some serious downsides:
- While I generally enjoyed staying at home (and escaping the stresses of the commute in the city in the process), there were times when I felt easily tired, boxed in within the confines of my home and closed off from the world.
- Aside from the raging pandemic, some extreme changes in my workplace while my coworkers and I were isolated from each other made me feel quite stressed and anxious.
- Since I’m always online, there was a time when I felt that I had to be always on call and would answer calls or respond to messages after office hours.
Well, I took advantage of the staycation that my family took together with my in-laws at the Airbnb rental Ging by Elaren in Cavite last Christmas.
Here, we all welcomed the opportunities that its distance from the metro and absence of WiFi connection gave us to be able to disconnect from technology.
Going somewhere without constant internet connection may be daunting to some (and definitely a nightmare for those with screen-addicted kiddos!) but there are some advantages to it as well:
- It encourages relaxation. Since we are not bombarded by a deluge of notifications and other distractions from our devices, we found it easier to unwind and disconnect from the stresses of our everyday life.
- It gave us more time for offline activities. Since we’re not glued to our mobile devices, we more time for other forms of entertainment such as exploring its landscaped grounds, reading books, whipping up our family meals together and even singing karaoke by the bonfire area.
- It gave us more opportunities to connect with each other. Spared the option to retreat to our own digital world, we find yourself more inclined to interact with each other: cooking together, playing boardgames, singing karaoke or simply catching up with each other.
Ging at Elaren is a two-storey, four-bedroom home nestled in the quaint town of Alfonso, Cavite, offering us city slickers a chance to get away from the chaotic hustle and bustle of city living while vacationing in style and comfort:
- The property is enclosed by a large gate to provide guests with privacy.
- A large parking area out front can accommodate up to four cars
- Front yard houses a tree house and fire pit
- Swimming pool with lounge chairs and barbecue area
- Indoor living room with couch and outdoor seating area
- Dining area (good for ten people) with L-shaped kitchen for food preparation and cooking
- Two air-conditioned downstairs bedrooms: one with single bed and one with queen bed and access to pool area; both rooms with en-suite batrooms
- Two air-conditioned upstairs bedrooms: one with two queen beds and en-suite bathroom and one with one queen bed and access to veranda
As we ready ourselves for more work and stress in a world that’s slowly but surely opening up in the aftermath of a global pandemic, it makes sense to find time disconnect – from the near-constant demands of work and life – in order to reconnect – with the ones we love and with ourselves.
Book your stay at Ging by Elaren via Airbnb where it is rated an average of 4.46 stars.
For the health and safety of its guests, Ging by Elaren is committed to Airbnb‘s five-step cleaning process.
Ging by Elaren is located off the Aguinaldo-Alfonso in Barangay Marahan 1, Alfonso, Cavite City, a few minutes drive from Tagaytay. Check in is from 2pm to 4pm while checkout is before 12pm.
Check out my posts regarding previous Airbnb stays:
Jellybeans in the City 