WATCH: Amsterdam, Netherlands


Here is the video of my short trip to Amsterdam.


For more blogposts on Amsterdam, click the links below:

Amsterdam Part 1
Amsterdam Part 2

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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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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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What Make Filipinos Happy?

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According to the recent Happiness Index and Positive Experience Index (2015), Filipinos are considered one of the happiest in the world. There are many empirical evidence supporting this, including the magnitude of resilence and effectiveness of Filipinos in coping with several calamities and personal challenges. There are ofcourse scepticism on these researches, given that happiness could not even be measured objectively, and even more difficult to be compared. Happiness is indeed subjective, such that it is experienced differently among various persons with unique backgrounds and histories. Therefore, it is a challenge to make a summary or list of what makes one happy for a certain group of people, such as Filipinos. However, there are similarities among Filipinos that one could deduce effectively to answer what makes Filipinos happy. This is the focus of this blogpost. Family counts first. Family is most powerful source of motivation and happiness for Filipinos. More importantly,...
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Cebuano: The Language and The People

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Living in Norway for over 2 years, I have often encountered questions about the languages I speak. I usually answered I speak Norwegian, English and two Filipino languages. Then, people start asking if the second Filipino language is a dialect of the other. Given my mother tongue is Cebuano, the second language referred, I abruptly debunk the misconcept that it is a mere dialect. My most common explanation is that all Filipinos speak the Filipino language, but those who only learn to speak Filipino have difficult time understanding or communicating with one speaking Cebuano. Throughout the span of my childhood, I got to grasp the political and cultural differences of Filipinos speaking Filipino language or Tagalog as referred by most, and those coming from the Southern Philippines speaking Cebuano. The language in itself has become the boundary between the two groups of people. Due to their innate differences, misunderstandings result, not because of mere language confusion, but of cu...
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Debt of Gratitude: A Filipino Social Phenomenon

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"Scratch my back and I will scratch yours." - This describes the prevailing Filipino social phenomenon of debt of gratitude. It is an attempt of one to repay the other, who in the past had done something good or beneficial to him or her. This has been magnified by other social phenomena such as the continued emigration of Filipino workers outside the Philippines, such that remittances are actually in the form of payment to their families, as an expression of long-lasting debt of gratitude. This is just an example of how this phenomenon has shaped the Filipino society and culture. In this blogpost, an in-depth analysis will be made to showcase the advantages and disadvantages of this phenomena, as various concepts and ideas revolving around it are enumerated throughout the discussion. 1. It exists in any type of relationship; familial, working, spiritual and others. Because of man's social nature, there will be periods of self-sufficiency and vulnerability. During time ...
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The Seinfeld Technique in Language Learning: Mastery Through Consistency

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Since December last year, I have been immersing myself on learning French and Spanish. It may not be the most practical thing to learn two languages at the same time, but I think that consistent efforts could be the key. This approach has proven effective for me in the past, and currently I am hoping would work again to my advantage. This known as the Seinfeld Technique, which is the focus of this blogpost. Seinfield technique is named after comedian Jerry Seinfeld, is a simple yet powerful productivity method built on one principle: don’t break the chain. Originally intended for writing jokes daily, Seinfeld’s method involves marking an X on a calendar each day you complete a task—and then refusing to break the streak. In language learning, this approach can be a game-changer. It shifts the focus from dramatic effort to steady, daily exposure, turning progress into a habit rather than a hurdle. Imagine a language learner who commits to practicing Spanish for just 15 minut...
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7 Reasons Why Many Filipinos are Good Singers

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One thing that makes me proud of being Filipino is that there are many good singers in our country. I am not saying that the Philippines has the best singers in the world, but it is obvious that many Filipinos have showed to the world the God-given talent they have. 1. Parents encourage their children to develop their singing talents Children singing old songs and acting as if the song fits them well. Love songs, rock, whatever genre songs maybe Filipino children can sing that. Some even report that children learn humming a melody before able to speak well. Ofcourse, parents are very crucial in the development of this talents. If a talent has been acknowledged at an early age, this provides time for child to improve his or her talent in singing. Watch the newly-launced TV show Voice Kids Philippines. 2. Competition helps produce more good singers The most-watched Television shows in the Philippines are singing competition. Most artists are discovered in these platform...
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Are You Healthy?

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Health is that elusive state of being that we all strive for, yet never quite seem to reach. We all have our own definition of what it means to be healthy, whether it's the absence of illness or the ability to run a marathon without breaking a sweat. But the truth is, defining health is no easy feat. It's like trying to catch a greased pig - you can chase after it, but it always seems to slip away. So, let's take a lighthearted look at the complex nature of health and how we can try to define it. I have come to understand that determining who is healthy is not as simple as it may seem. The connection between norms and health is intricate, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. In my experience, health is not just about the absence of disease but also about meeting societal norms. For instance, a patient who presents with symptoms of depression and anxiety may be considered unhealthy, even though there is no physical ailment. This ...
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Are you getting bored?

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We have so much to do, so limited time, but so little things accomplished. Yet, we still feel bored. Isn't that a paradox? People get easily bored. Sometimes, even the most exciting and adventurous among us can find ourselves feeling a little bit bored. But hey, that's okay - boredom can actually be a good thing! First, let's talk about the signs that you're bored. Maybe you're scrolling through social media for the hundredth time today, or you've resorted to counting the tiles on your ceiling. Perhaps you're watching paint dry or taking extra long bathroom breaks just to pass the time. Whatever the case may be, if you're feeling uninterested, restless, or just plain blah, you might be bored. Boredom has always been a part of human life, but it seems like we're hearing more and more about it these days. With the prevalence of smartphones and social media, people are increasingly complaining about being bored. However, is modern bo...
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Relevance of Rizal Today

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In the thirtieth of December of each year, Filipinos celebrate the death anniversary of their national hero, Jose Rizal. However, from observation, aside from designating the day as a holiday, Filipinos truly no longer remember who Rizal was and his relevance to our society today. It would seem, then we only see Rizal as a mere statue in the center of nearly our city parks in the whole country. Is Rizal a mere history or to be considered essential to the Filipino society? Advocate of education Rizal acquired education both in Europe and in the Philippines. He used his knowledge to push her personal goals and aspirations for his fellowmen. Although education before was reserved only to the wealthy, Rizal made us of the opportunity to contribute for the goodness and alleviation of the suffering of the Filipino people. Not everyone does the same at the same magnitude Rizal does. Education is the great equalizer of the society. It is true, however society also makes it d...
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