WATCH: Copenhagen, Denmark

Here is my video of my short trip to Copenhagen, Denmark.


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Copenhagen

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Padayon Lang: Just Continue ᜉᜇᜌᜓᜈ᜔ ᜎᜅ᜔

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There are words that stay with us long after the people who spoke them are gone. For me, one of those words is the Cebuano phrase: “Padayon lang.” These simple words describe my life motto. It is short, almost ordinary. It does not shine with poetry. Yet it has a quiet strength, the kind that you don’t just think about but actually feel deep inside. Literally, it means “just continue” or “keep going.” But in Cebuano life, padayon lang is less of a command and more of gentle encouragement, just a soft pat on the shoulder, a light that shows you the way in the dark. I first heard it as a child, when I struggled with school and say, “Padayon lang sa imong pagtuon.” Keep studying. It is not a word of triumph. It does not promise success. Unlike congratulations or I’m proud of you, padayon lang accepts that life is hard, that the road is tiring, and yet it reminds us that moving forward, even slowly, even step by step is still worth it. It is the Cebuano spirit of resilience, no...
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Welfare State like Norway - Philippines?

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It has been several months that I have been living in Norway, a rich welfare state. I have seen Norway is indeed blessed with natural resources like fish, oil and with other industries. On the other hand, the Philippines has no significant oil deposits, but has a massive supply of minerals, marine and agricultural products. I could not refrain myself but compare this two resource-rich countries. What most interests me with Norway is that it is a welfare state. This concept of equal distribution of wealth among people, I hope that exists in the Philippines, even at a lesser extent. It made me ask myself if it is possible. If so, how will it change the Filipino society. A country of 100 million Filipinos. The richest Filipinos are one of the richest in the world, while poverty rates are steady at a high level in decades. We Filipinos blame it to many things and worse, majority of us just accept the fact that nothing can be done in our lifetime about this deplorable situation. How...
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Today (November 30) marks the birth anniversary of the known Filipino hero Andres Bonifacio. Many including me are used to hearing Bonifacio's name but never really got to deepen the appreciation and knowledge about him. There were controversies and unresolved issues regarding the motivation, personality and death of Bonifacio; but in this blogpost, the focus would rather be on the learnings we could possibly derive from the story of Bonifacio and how we could reflect on it when applied on our own respective lives. Family and friends first At the age of 14, Bonifacio needed to stop going to private school to support his five other siblings because both their parents died of illness in a duration of a year. Because of this, he earned a living for his family until his siblings had been regularly employed thereafter. On the other hand, by mere impression, Bonifacio treated Rizal as a friend or as an important person of the Filipino revolution. Motivated by this, Bonifacio with his c...
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10 Sociocultural Differences Between Norway and the Philippines

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Soon, I would mark my sixth year of living in Norway. It is difficult to sum up the past six years in few words. A lot of things I have experienced, and many people I have encountered. At least, I could say I have learned a lot during this period. However, what makes it more challenging for me as an immigrant in Norway is the contrast in cultures and social norms between my home country, the Philippines and Norway. Both countries were ranked high in different survey of happiness, depending on how happiness is defined on these surveys. And this concept of happiness is reflected in the norms in both countries. In this blogpost, I would enumerate ten of these cultural differences. 1.         Love for nature I could say that both Philippines and Norway have been blessed with beautiful landscapes. Philippines is known for its beaches, while Norway has fjords giving way to beautiful unique sceneries not found in other countries. However...
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2025: Progress Sans Perfect Results

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What Make Filipinos Happy?

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Filipino Body Language

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Non-verbal communication is an essential part in a society, as well as understanding the values the community believe in. This reflects a good overview of how communication and tradition have evolved through time. These expressions are never constant, such that meaning changes from time to time, and is greatly affected by the events or the kind of environment one belongs in. Filipinos, being a society with mixed Asian and Western influences have unique facial and body expressions. These are the focus of this blogpost. 1. Silent stare Stares could mean evil look for Filipinos. It may indicate sarcasm or manipulation. It is considered rude to this, especially when in a conversation because it may also indicate disinterest or disrespect. 2. Lip/Eye pointing This is quiet funny gesture common not just in the rural areas, but also in urban communities. It is quiet hard to explain the direction in verbal language, so it is better to point them vaguely, interestingly with the use of lips,...
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The 21st of January 2026 marks the end of the 14th chapter of my life, which also means that another 1,000 days have passed 😂. This chapter was not only about time moving forward, but also about personal reflection, adjustment, and maturity. During this period, I searched for meaning in life, questioned my values, and learned more about the importance of human connections. It was a phase that helped me better understand who I am and how I relate to others and the world around me. Learning from Past Challenges The 13th chapter of my life left a lasting impact on me and strongly shaped the one that followed. The pandemic changed daily life, work routines, and social relationships in ways I had never experienced before. During this time, I also chose to let go of unhealthy habits and distanced myself from certain people. The sudden death of my father was the most difficult experience, forcing me to confront loss, grief, and uncertainty. These events made the 14th chapter a pe...
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I wonder why saying goodbye is considered good. Most of the time, goodbyes never feel like something is good, unless you have a definite time of making hellos again after goodbyes. It is just putting a period in an article, not knowing whether there is another page that follows it. Pain, regrets and feelings of optimism usually follow after goodbyes. The word GOODBYE ends with BYE. In this article I will put meaning to goodbye using the the last three letters of the word. I hope this could somehow explain the things we feel and put light on how to deal with it, when confronted with a difficult one. B - BEST WISHES AHEAD The primary object of saying goodbye is hoping everything turns out well after making an end or separation in any form. We try to smile, even deep inside our hearts, truly saying goodbye hurts. Smiling is an act of courage and hope that in spite of the situation, things will go better. Saying goodbye could be as simple as greetings after work. It is jus...
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