Travel in the Philippines
I love to travel and I especially love visiting different countries and learning some of the common words and sayings. I think that learning how to communicate, using even a few words, in a foreign language can make my stay there that much more interesting.
Though I would love to visit the numerous islands that make up the Philippines region, I do not have the means, at this time, to do so. Instead on this journey, I am happy to visit a few of the Philippine islands and beaches that have caught my interest. I am particularly keen on visiting the capital city because I would like to go shopping there and also sample some of the food.
I am now traveling through the northern region of the Philippines. I have met many Filipinos and I am thrilled that I have been able to converse with many of them in English but I particularly want to learn the Tagalog language which is widely spoken. I have found that many people are eager to help me learn Filipino phrases, which I have found contains quite a few English words. As a result, I am able to use English I know along with the Tagalog words I have been taught which helps me get around and makes communication pretty easy.
The word Filipino or Tagalog can be used to refer to the national language of the Philippines. Filipino (Tagalog) is the official national language and it has a rich literary tradition.
Here is an account of how I met a person who was to become a good friend of mine. I was in a restaurant next to the place where I was staying. I had ordered some strong coffee brewed from beans grown locally. In this same cafe, I was fortunate, that a Filipino gentleman who seated across me, was fluent in both English and Spanish. He gave me a lot of language tips and cultural tips. He told me that the correct way to ask for a cup of coffee was to say, "Pa-order ng kape, please?" which means: may I order coffee please? He also taught me to check the menu before ordering my breakfast because sometimes, if you ordered one of their specials, the coffee or a soft drink was included in the pricing. He also informed me that the word for breakfast in Tagalog was "agahan." A Filipino breakfast generally consisted of fried rice and eggs; but of course this varies and some people eat what they want.
I ordered a "hotsilog" which was basically hotdogs, eggs and fried rice. He asked for a "longsilog" which was a combination of sausage links, eggs and fried rice. I ordered two strong coffees for us, as we continued chatting, even though we had finished our breakfast. He taught me how to use common words such as "I am Sorry" (sorry po!) and to say "Paano po" (How), "Bakit po" (Why) and "Ano po" (what). Some of the Taglish words were easy to pick up and I made a few notes to help me through the rest of my stay in the Philippines. I thanked him warmly for his company and shook hands, and wished each other, "Paalam" (Goodbye) and went our separate ways.
With more practice I hope to be able to learn to speak Filipino with greater fluency. My next stop is the capital city and I am really looking forward to it. I hope to practice some of the expressions that I have learned so far.
