2012 - Tagalog and Ate Arla

2012 was the year...where things got serious. Serious as in, my family and friends were getting tired of hearing about how great the Philippines is and how great it would be for me to move there. Nothing has changed - they are still getting tired of hearing the crazy girl talk about a place she's never been to.

I was away from home for about 3 years for studies and that was my space to realize who I was and what i liked without the immediate influence of my family and familiar surroundings. I had a lot of time on my hands and of course, i put it to good use - discovering the Philippines on the internet hahaha priorities on point.


The fastest way to learning Tagalog is by singing....

So by 2012, I had already learnt a little Tagalog and it was time to improve FAST. I was in an environment with a lot of Filipinos and I wasn't going to let it go to waste. I took some online courses and I had a very nice woman in her mid 30s to teach me basic Tagalog :) But as I went on, I realized, 'Wait a minute, 'the fastest way to learning Tagalog is by singing'. And so it began, the biggest and longest headaches for my flatmates and families. We are talking about morning to night time, all you would hear in the house are Tagalog songs! My flatmates painfully (exaggeration alert lol right guys?) endured the long days of an unfamiliar language in the house. How sweet are my flatmates!
I am so proud to say, that I know about 20 Tagalog songs word for word and their meanings :) and most of them are Christmas songs - that is another blog for another time.

Remember when I said the talent in the Philippines was crazy good?! You can catch that read on my previous post - I was not kidding. They are a nation filled with talent - God must have been biased with the Philippines, because not only they are blessed with good looks and brains, they also got talent! If you guys want proof, here is just one of the millions! Sarah Geronimo for you ladies and gentlemen - her latest MTV from her Album - The Great Unknown.

The 'Ate Arla' Effect 

Readers, I would like you to meet my ate, Arla Fontamillas. So this poor girl had to sit and listen to the endless giggles, screams and excess excitement from me - lets just say for a number of hours on maybe a weekly/fortnightly basis. So the first time meeting ate Arla was during a coffee hour break at Uni - and I was just being the usual me - bragging about the latest song by Sarah Geronimo out that week - and my peers were just agreeing in the hopes of me shutting up. And our Programme Coordinator jumped and said - 'Oh, Arla here is from the Philippines!' *my jaw dropped, my eyes have never opened so widely before* Did you say, Philippines? I was so happy - I probably scared poor Arla. Before anybody could react, I desperately asked - Could you please sing 'Sa Piling Mo' by Piolo Pascual for me please? Hahaha Ruuuuude! But Arla was so nice, she laughed and said 'Sure' and that accent, ooooh that accent! I literally had a Fan Girl moment - all sorts of giggles, and excitement rushed over me! 

Arla opened her mouth to sing and I was like - wait...hold UUUP. Girl did you just sing my favorite teleserye's soundtrack and sounded like Regine Velasquez? Where was the warning? I was not ready for this! I was literally biting my nails and  screaming with that high pitched low volume voice sounding like a sick cat. When Arla finished - I just stood there looking at her. Being the creepy one - I was like, "Can I hug you?" hahaha ok first things first, that was a fan girl moment. I meant no harm nor did I mean to scare poor Arla. Thank goodness for patience and love because that's exactly what Arla showed :) She gave me a big hug and allowed me to have my Philippines Obsession talks with her anytime - which I hope she didn't regret lol. 

Ate Arla invited me over for coffee one time and she so lovingly showed me pictures of her vacation with her family over her Master's Field Study in the Philippines. She was answering question after question and just sitting there listening to me blabbering on - the patience this girl had *standing ovation* At the end of the very long coffee break - she gave me a Filipino necklace she bought for me from the Philippines and things got even more emotional! hahaha waterworks on a roll! 

Evidently, ate Arla is a very special part of me - she was for me the living proof of the Filipino hospitality that has captured hearts around the world. 

She even came to my graduation! How very sweet right guys? - I am telling you, if you have an ate Arla in your life, consider yourself blessed. I am definitely very blessed to have my ate Arla - she became family instantly without a doubt. 

My ate Arla Fontamillas :) 

Until next time guys♥♥ 
Please ask any questions or recommend what you would like to see me write about :) 

Why the Philippines?

Have you ever been so inlove with something or someone, or even some PLACE but you have never met nor been to? Well, I guess Tinder and FaceBook has being in love with a stranger covered haha. Lets get this on the road! 

PHILIPPINES 

Credit: www.experiencephilippines.org

 Just take a moment to absorb that beauty! That is just one part of the Philippines that has completely driven me INSANE for the past 10 years or so. Yea, I am not kidding - you have those that fall inlove with a place and they pay a visit a year later, yea not this girl. So, why the Philippines? I mean, after all I am exactly 4,887 miles away from the place, and it has this sort of power over me. I may be in a good conversation, but if I overhear anything slightly Filipino, I am sorry I'm gone! I will go out of my way to be creepy going up to strangers whom I would 'presume'  are Filipino and bust out a 'MABUHAY'. I can safely say, my instincts are not always the best at guessing. But you see the trend, right? No, I am not a creep, or a least I hope I'm not. I am sold on the Philippines! (yea that's the trend)

It all started in 2006 when I was in Primary school. There was a new girl in my class, and we kind of became friends pretty quick. She introduced herself as a Pinay in front of the class. I waited until she sat down and I bolted out of my seat and asked, 'You said you're  a Pinay?' What is that? This conversation went on for weeks and there it began, my obsession with this place called the 'Philippines'. This was the first time I have never heard of such a place, mind you, we were at the time as a county obsessed with America. 

Ok, so Philippines? Where else in the world would you find people that live well below minimum wages and still have soaring spirits? I have to admit, the people of the Philippines were not the first point of attraction for me. but I have to say, they are the most loving and friendliest people on this earth. And that's a big deal, because where I come from, we are known as the most hospitable in the Pacific Islands. I have made so many Filipino family friends in my country  - they did not hesitate to call me 'anak' 'ading' 'ate' or even 'tita'. I love having my attires custom made and sewn, so I would go to specifically find a Filipino seamstress and just start a family bond hahaha I promise, I am not a creep! Sometimes, I won't even need a dress, but I would have one made anyway so I could have a logic excuse to meet a new Filipino around the area. They would call me to come over for food, coffee and invite me to their gatherings! They caught on quite quickly that I was interested in becoming a Pinay at heart :) Since I missed out on becoming one in blood - thanks a lot God lol 

The place - should I even say any more? I mean come on! The place is a beauty - they are of course the "Pearl of the Orient Seas". I looove Pearls - I'm wearing a pair of white pearl earring right now, coincidence? I think not. 

From sandy beaches to the night sky lit with Metro Manila's night life - *breath-taking* You will find beauty everywhere! And note, these are all observations on photos and youtube videos - so imagine breathing and living the moment there - can you even deal? Ugh...so fetch (random Mean Girls reference - why not?) 

Ok - if there is one thing about me with the Philippines that you would have to know, it has got to be the 'talent' in that country! Even a child that can barely walk is a great singer! I have fallen in love over and over and over again with the talent Philippines has to offer! I don't even understand half o the things they sing about and I still dig it! Heck, I even bought albums on iTunes and watched a 4 hour concert livestream! From singers like Lani Misalucha, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera to Sarah Geronimo, Yeng Constantino, Morissette Amon, James Reid, Darren Espantos - they have all generations and genres covered! My first ever Tagalog song to learn off by heart was Sarah Geronimo's Ikot Ikot - and I felt like on top of the world when I was able to sing this without looking at the lyrics. 

For someone that has not been to the Philippines - I am craaaazy for being this obsessed. But I guess that's just how much of a reach the Philippines has on the world. If you're a Filipino and you're reading this, I'm jealous! Yeap - I said it hahaha. I love your country and your people! 

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!