I have enjoyed reconnecting with hobbies, like painting and reading, as well as cooking and playing mahjong with my host parents!
At home and in the office, I speak a language called Kinaray-a. However, most people in the Philippines speak Tagalog and English as their first languages. Did you know that Tagalog is the fourth most spoken language in the United States? The name “Tagalog” comes from the words taga ("to come from") and ilog (“river”). Bodies of water are very important to Filipino people, as the country is home to 400 rivers and over 7,000 islands, earning it the second longest coastline in the world! Because of this, fishing is an incredibly important industry for the Philippines. Many communities rely on seafood for their diets. It’s a good thing I love fish and squid!
It is such a special privilege to befriend and learn from people whose culture is different from your own. I am excited to share with you all and to learn from you, too! Dali ron – let’s go!
