Travel Photos & Musings By Nathan W. Allen
It’s something that every white male in the Philippines is familiar with…the smiley jeepney driver waves and yells out “Hey Joe!” as he drives by. This is an expression left over from WWII, a “term of endearment” for American soldiers (think “G.I. Joe”). It’s certainly not meant as an insult, and Americans seem to love...
A Year Living in the Philippines – And An Honest Look At Philippine Culture – By Nathan Allen IS THE PHILIPPINES REALLY THAT BEAUTIFUL? You may think that what I capture in my travel blog is nothing like the real Philippines – what the world sees on the news…the poverty, the despair, the suffering. Well...
As an adult, English is one of the hardest languages to learn…or so I’ve heard. It was my primary language since birth, so I never realized just how frustrating and challenging it can be. Silent letters, same spelling but different pronunciation…etc. Living in the Philippines for a few years helped me to realize that sometimes,...
After a year living in the country, I listed some ways that my travels in the Philippines changed me for good. 1. The Philippines Taught Me To Make Peace With Death “IF IT’S MY TIME, IT’S MY TIME” OK, now that I have your attention, let me explain: I had a 55 year old Pinoy friend...
Bohol Is The Best…No, It’s Albay…No, It’s Davao!! When I travelled to the Philippines previously, I mentioned elements of fear and superstition in the culture, and wondered if these traits were instilled by the Spanish, or were already here in the Philippines when they arrived. Now I’m wondering the same thing about the strong regionalism...
What an honor to be invited to this “celebration of the dead” with my host’s family. I thought going to the cemetery to hang out with deceased relatives all night was the perfect thing to do for Halloween, but it turned out to be much less creepy and far more beautiful and moving than I...