let’s hear it from daniella!
where are you originally from?
the philippines
people
in one word or sentence, how do you describe your people?
hospitable and very welcoming to tourists/foreigners
on a scale of 1-10, how well does your country speak english?
9. almost all of the people that you would encounter here speak english
can you give a key phrase/word/expression that people in your country usually say?
“kumain ka na ba” which means ‘have you eaten?’ or ‘did you eat yet?’
how do i say “hello/thank you/please/sorry” in your language?
you can say them as is because we don’t really greet or apologize to each other using our own language. but if you really want to know,
hello- “kamusta?”
thank you- “salamat”
sorry- “pasensya na”
what do people in your country usually do for fun?
mostly relaxing and taking things easy.
food
best food? weirdest food? local food to try?
best food- sinigang
weirdest food- balut
best drink? local drink to try?
depends on your taste buds
how is breakfast served in your country?
it’s either we eat rice with the leftovers from yesterday’s dinner or we eat bread with a popular spread called cheez whiz
culture
which sport are you guys crazy about?
basketball and volleyball
what is the craziest thing to do in your country?
not the craziest but island hopping in el nido, palawan
what excursions and/or activities do you extremely suggest that visitors must do?
kayaking or canoeing in palawan
are there any local customs a visitor should be sensitive to?
just be polite at all times especially with the elders
places
what is/are the most surreal places/landmarks to visit?
every beach! but if you like a more “unique” spot i suggest the banaue rice terraces (it’s where thanos went to after wiping half of the universe in avengers: infinity war)
can you name a place that most people have not heard of? a secret spot perhaps!
sundang island (you can rent the island for a night!)
where can visitors find the best beach?
anywhere! personally i think palawan and boracay have got to have the best white sand beaches
if i’m staying for less than a week, which city should i choose?
if you like a more busy street, city kind of vibe you should stay at manila or in makati. for a more lowkey, rural kind of vibe i suggest somewhere in laguna or batangas
country
in one word or sentence, how do you describe your country?
warm. not only for the temperature but also the people
how many days at least should a visitor spend in your country?
depends if you enjoyed or are enjoying your stay here. stay for a week and see how it goes from there
when is the best time to visit?
february and march. do not visit during june,july, august and september because it is the rainy season here.
can you give interesting trivia about your country?
philippines is also known as the pearl of the orient seas also our country is the last to agree in having a senior high school program (11 and 12th grade). before we only had 4 years of high school (7, 8, 9 and 10th grade).
what is your country’s most popular stereotype/cliché?
there’s this group of people we call “jeje” or “jejemon” because of their street-style inspired choice of clothing
travel
are you a traveler? which place is your favorite so far?
i’m probably going to sound biased because i have lived in this country but i love japan the most among the countries that i have visited
what’s your best travel story?
roaming around singapore with only 30 dollars in my pocket and i had an old man approach me for some spare change because he apparently lost his bag
why do you love traveling?
it makes me feel connected to the people and with their culture. i get to understand people’s beliefs and different sets of values
about daniella
instagram: @danidotyes
website/blog: halohaloway.blogspot.com
“halo halo'” in tagalog means “mix together” hence, you can find bits of every niche on my blog from programming to bullet journaling and makeup tips to blog post ideas. as of june 20, 2018 i am slowly transitioning my blog to a more specific targeted niche which is bullet journaling and blogging tips.
twitter- @danidotyes
e-mail: halohaloway@outlook.com