WATCH: Seoul-Incheon, South Korea


Here is my video on my short trip to South Korea.


For more blogposts on Seoul, click the links below.


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Even Monkeys Fall From a Tree

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In the heart of Korean wisdom lies the saying, "Namoo-eh-seo tteo-reo-ji-neun won-soong-i," which translates to "Even a monkey falls from a tree." This proverbial gem encapsulates a profound truth: even the most skilled or experienced individuals can make mistakes or experience failure. Let's delve into the significance of this saying in Korean society and culture. This is the focus of this blogpost. Within Korean culture, this saying reflects the value placed on humility and perseverance. It encourages individuals to approach success with humility, acknowledging that setbacks are a natural part of life's journey. This mindset fosters resilience and a willingness to learn from mistakes, traits highly regarded in Korean society. In contemporary Korea,  the proverb remains as pertinent as ever. In a society known for its emphasis on academic and professional achievement, the pressure to succeed can be immense. As a person who was focused on academi...
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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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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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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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En Dag om Gangen: Babysteps in Norway

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No One Like Us (Poem)

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  Who really are we? Is a good but tough question. Do we have a life based who we are, or in discretion? Is there an approach for us to understand us better? Releasing ourselves from self-restraints like fetters   We have contrasting dimensions even in oneself There is definitely something beyond   the public self Charactetistics both for us and others are well-known Everything about us clearly to public we have shown   Besides there are things and traits we are blinded Try hearing what others say; never be close-minded Perception by others, we ourselves are unaware Society see something but we don’t, sounds unfair?   Be attentive, not everything about us we are in control Even how much we try, thus there’s always a loophole Intriguigingly there is segment of us we keep hidden Traits we withhold for life like truth that is forbidden   This a confirmation that every single manages a facade Presenting ourselves reasonably to be applaud In this way some people...
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Since I was young, I always wondered how people get successful. As I grew and learned many things about life, I have come up that the ultimate way to success is having a grit personality. If everyone has grit personality, perhaps the world would be better and more productive place to live in. In this article, I will discuss four elements of grit personality using the four letters of the word. GOAL-ORIENTED FOR A BETTER FUTURE Not knowing one's long-term goals results to unnecessary actions that yields frustration and low self-esteem. Persons with grit personality knows what they want and knows how to go about it through a plan that they know what for and what it intends to do. Plans may change but the goal will always be the same. They may try do some other things first, but they will never stop pursuing the goals they originally set. RESILIENT TO CHANGES In the journey towards a person's long-term goal, it is inevitable that people encounter problems that may discourage...
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7 Reasons Why Many Filipinos are Good Singers

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Theory of New Language Learning Part Two

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They say the better you are in language, the better you appreciate the group of people using that certain language. This is the goal of everyone, who learns a new language. It is important now to discuss how one can improve from a "so-so" to very good. This is the second part of my own personal theory of learning new language. Moving from the threshold to proficient level in learning language is easy said than done. This level is characterized with a high degree of fluency and spontaneity. A person on this level can summarize written and spoken information in a coherent way. Furthermore, a person is expected to express oneself using complex words and structured manner of delivery. In IELTS English test results, C1 is a band score 7.0, while C2, which is equivalent to a native speaker of the language, is band score 8.0 and above. However, the question is how can one improve. Here is a list of factors that could influence the process: 1.     ...
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