Whenever any parent plans to move, kids are always a primary concern. Whether you are moving across town, or moving across the world, you have to worry about the kids, right? Well, not always!
One thing that I hear from people day in and day out is that they are concerned about moving to the Philippines, because their kids can’t speak Tagalog, Bisaya, or whatever dialect is most used in the Province where they would like to live. I am here to tell you that you should not be concerned about this particular issue! Of course, to a degree it depends on the age of your children. But, young people can pick up languages very quickly, much quicker than us adults can do so!
At the time that I moved here to the Philippines, my kids were 8 years old, 3 years old and 1 month old. The one month old, of course grew up where this was home for him. He can fluently speak both English and Bisaya, as well as Tagalog. The two kids who were a bit older when we moved learned the local tongue very quickly. Just by spending time playing with their cousins, they could speak Bisaya with an amazing degree of skill in only about 30 days. Within 90 days I would say that they were fluent. For Tagalog (that is not what is widely spoken here), they learned that in school and it only took a few months to gain a fair amount of fluency in that too.
What about their English, you ask? Well, my wife and I make sure that they keep up their English skills.
We have a rule in the Martin household: If the kids are inside the house, they are only allowed to speak English! If they are outside, they can speak any language that they choose. So, this is what happens:
- At the house, they speak English! Feyma and I listen to them and make sure they speak English in the house. We listen to their use of the language and we correct them if they don’t use the language properly. So, they maintain good English proficiency.
- When they play with their friends outside the house, you can be most certain that they speak Bisaya, since most people around Davao and General Santos speak in Bisaya. It’s the language that you can be sure they speak outside!
- In school, although their lessons are primarily in English, they have one hour per day of Tagalog studies, so they learn Tagalog in school.
Language has worked out well. I believe that my kids have an advantage by being multi-lingual. Even if Tagalog and Bisaya are not languages that are widely used in the world, the ability that the kids showed in learning those languages helps them in learning other things too.
Honestly, I feel that being in a country where they speak more than one language is a huge plus for my kids!
Bob:
I agree. When I moved to the islands my daughter was about two. I was there about three months and went back to the USa for my step mothers funeral. I came back and my daughter was speaking Tagalog. She has maintained the language until this day. My son, born on the islands, and immigrated at the age of 18 months, does not speak the Tagalog language, much to my disappointment. My daughter learned the language in about 6 weeks. I have seen many other children do the same thing. Great post, thanks!!
JJ
Hi JJ,
Kids are amazing! I wish I could learn the languages as easily as they do!
Nice post!
Kids are pretty quick at picking up any language. You don't even have to teach them. When they hear adults speak the language, they get it right in no time.
It's true. I grew up in an environment where my elders spoke a number of dialects: Cebuano (the default), Ilonggo, Chabacano (considered as broken Spanish) and Tagalog. I can understand any of those pretty well.
Hi Carlos – nice to hear from you! I hope you are doing well.
Kids are like sponges when it comes to languages! They just suck it up like it's nothing!
Hi Bob –
I found your blog yesterday and just can't stop myself from wanting to read everything! Your blog is very organized and I love that you and your wife both give a difference perspective.
Just a short intro – I am Jen, a 26 year old American with a live-in Filipino boyfriend living in NY. We have toyed with the idea of moving to the Philippines in 5-7 years, a few years after I will graduate from nursing school. My boyfriend has been in the U.S. for 5 years and would like to move back to Phils. for good. Obviously your blog will answer more than a few of my questions/concerns. 🙂
I traveled to Manila, Philippines only once for a 3 week stay in 2005 and fell in love with the place and the people I meet there! I'm glad you've had a successful move with your family and you are happy there!
P.S. I love the Learning Tagalog section with a new word/phrase everyday. I've been trying to learn tagalog for several months but it's difficult with my studies and working full time. This is a great way for me to incorporate a few new words that I can use at home with my boyfriend and with my filipino friends!
Thanks again for creating this wonderful blog! 🙂
Hi Jen – I just sent you an e-mail with a few ideas for you and your boyfriend. I believe that you are in a good position to create a nice internet based income that would make a nice living for you here.
Good luck with the tagalog!
Hello again – Thanks for your speedy reply to my e-mail. The information you provided is invaluable. I discussed it with my boyfriend and all I can say is his wheels are turning and it's a good thing! 🙂
Thanks again!
Hi Jen,
That's not a problem if your kids don't know how speak Tagalog. My kids had the same problem when we moved here. Most schools, especially if it's a private school are very understanding and will make accomodations for your kids until they learn the language. Just talk to them before you enroll your kids in their school. I hope I was helpful with my information. Till next time….
Hi Julius – Thanks for the info. but right now I don't have any kids. 🙂
My comment was that I was trying to learn to speak some tagalog for myself. My boyfriend speaks tagalog as well as many of my friends so I'd like to at least understand some of it. But I will keep your advice in mind in the event that I do have kids before I move to the Philippines. Thanks again.
Hi Jen,
Apologize for thinking you had kids. Pick up some books and cds on how to speak Tagalog. There are plenty out there. You may not be that fluent with the language, though, until you get here. But having the basic skills will arm you with the necessary tool to enhance it once you get here. And for Christ Sake, stay away from Filipinos who will try to talk you out of moving here that you won't pursue your dream further. Many are so negative about the Philippines, because the majority had experience the country in an impoverished and suprresed way. They fail to realize that they'll grow old and long for home someday. As Bob Martin and many foreigners, as well as, ex-pats who are now living will say, "this is home" no matter who you are. You just have to embrace it wholeheartedly by taking the good and the bad. The rewards are far more beneficial intrinsically than materially. Best of luck to you. Till next time….
Hi Julius – Thanks for your suggestions. I actually listen to filipino music and then have my boyfriend translate it for me or I try to find translation on the internet. It's a fun way to learn tagalog.
In response to the second part of your comment: "The rewards are far more beneficial intrinsically than materially."
I'll take that advice to heart! I couldn't agree with you more. Home is a feeling to me. I moved from CT to NY to be with my boyfriend and now I'm "home". Thanks again.
Hi Jen and Julius – We have blogs for learning Bisaya and also Tagalog. We recently added podcasts for learning Bisaya, and will soon add podcasts for Tagalog too, so that you can hear what is being said and pick up on the pronunciation.
For Bisaya (including podcast): http://visayas.wowphilippines.com/bisaya
For Tagalog: http://luzon.wowphilippines.com/tagalog
Now that a real challenge. I look forward to it, Bob.
Hey Bob,
Is it possible to send me similar email that you sent Jen about internet businesses in the Philippines? I'd like to open up other options for staying here. Thanks. Till next time….
Hi Bob. I hope you didn’t misunderstand my last post. The forum my friends in the states want to set up is about their respective businesses, and not a forum about living in the Philippines. The format is similar to yours, however, and I even tuned them into your sites. They all liked it, especially when they saw the vendors’ banner on the site. I know you’re had problems in the past about someone taking your idea and running away with it or using it to compete with you. I congratulate you for having the best site about moving/living in the Philippines. Till next time….
Hi Julius – the e-mail that I sent to Jen was not really anything that would apply to anybody else. Jen had sent me an e-mail telling me about her and her boyfriend's interests and training. Some of the things that they had knowledge about would be good for providing the services online.
I am currently working on a new blog about how to make money online. I'll be announcing that soon, I am sure.
Hi Bob. I look forward to it. Aside from the adventure tour business I'm trying to set and create a website for, I'm also pulling double duty for friends who wants the same thing for this businesses. They want to create a forum similar to yours and hope to derive income from it via vendors who'll be advertising on their respective sites. They're paying me for my service by agreeing to carry my adventure tour banner on their website.
To change the topic a little bit. I've nade a lot of phone calls to Manila, and I have yet found a travel agency that are agressively pursuing this type of business that I'm trying to launch. Most are just concerned about booking their clients on an airfare/hotel package, and then leave the rest to the clients on what they're going to do and what they're going to see once they get there. I've even asked some of the people who can afford this type of vacation (adenture tour) and they've said the same thing. Most of these people's vacation trips were on beaten paths like Baguio, Tagaytay, Palawan, and Boracay. Seldom did I run into people who have visited less touristy places in the places, yet as equally beautiful and pristine. They're definitely wanted to try out my different vacation packages once I get it going.
The most common questions I get are how much will it cost and what are the iteneraries? After I explained to everyone that it'll be in less commericalized places and we'll be staying at peoples homes (sometimes out of necessaties because some places don't have hotels) that are designed for guest, in order to save money, they seem very interested. They also said that it's better thay way because you'll see and feel the Philippines better.
And I'm not worried about or someone stealing this business idea as I post it on your blog. I wish more people/businesses would do this type of adventure vacations, in order to entice the foreingers and expats to come here to visit, and not be taken to cleaners by having them go on very expesive tour packages. As I mentioned in my ealier post., people living in the Philippines and abroad have never really toured this country, mainly because of their concerned for the cost and lack of knowledge/contact in those places. If someone can set it up for them, at a very decent price, then that someone/group new possibilities to make money.
Hi Julius – Don't worry, I don't think you are trying to rip me off!! Far from it. I appreciate your posts on this blog which help to enlighten others who read it.
Regarding your work with other vendors who have websites and want to monetize them, I don't feel that soliciting advertising from others with businesses is the way to go, at least for starts. You need to have a very well established website before you can really do well in soliciting this kind of advertising. Rather, set up with somebody like Google adsense, Chitika or another ad agency for the ads.
Good luck, Julius!
Good advice, Bob. Thanks. You said in anearlier post that you have a full-time web designer on your staff. Do you have a web-design company here in the Philippines, with clients abroad? I've been thinking about hiring a hiring a web and graphic designer myself to create and maintain my adventure tour website. Do you think this is a good idea? Till next time….
Hi Julius – I don't do web design work for others, nor do I have a company doing that. I have a full time programmer, and also a full time graphic artist working on my staff, but they only do design work for my own personal sites. I have a lot of websites, though, so they stay pretty busy!
I do think that doing web design for clients abroad is a viable way of making money here. A good way to start out would be to visit sites like eLance.com and bid on jobs that are being offered. With that, you can gain experience in the field!
Bob,
I'm switching over to the "Doing Business" category so we don't fill this "speaking Tagalog" category with this topic. Till next time….
Thanks for posting the links to learning Bisaya and Tagalog. I was having a lot of difficulty finding them. The Tagalog link does not seem to be working though.
Hi Randy C – Sorry about the broken link. I am in the process of making some changes on that particular blog. I'll try to get it back up real soon.
Nice post, Bob … indeed I have heard that worry about the children a numbe rof times myself. It's one of the few things no one has to worry about, your children will do just fine.
In my sister-in-law's house (she's in her 30s with two small boys) everyone speaks English from day one. This is the way my wife and her sisters were raised, they learned Tagalog from playmates and school after they were old enough. The boy's father is Sudanese, he speaks Arabic and English (possibly some Sudanese dialects as well, I don't know), working in Qatar, so English is basically the only common language in their segment of the family.
These boys, at 2 and 3 and a half speak quite decent English and can shift easily into Tagalog, a little Arabic when needed and some Ilocano, the grandmother's first language.
It sometimes twists my head aound, but if I cna't understand, Mazen, the older boy will just look at my puzzled expression, realize my difficulty, aandtell me "that means …. in English, Tito David". When he's about 5 I think I'll hire him to be my Pilipino teacher regularly … if his younger brother isn't the better linguist by then. They are cute, smart kids but by no means unique or rare, language just isn't a problem at that age.
Hi Dave Starr – I am glad that you enjoyed this column. Yes, kids are so happy go lucky, and learn things like languages at rates that astonish old guys like us! Watching how my kids learned so quickly certainly amazed me!
So Bob –
What do you speak? English, obviously, and you've said you know some Bisaya. Do you bother to learn Tagalog? How important is Tagalog for someone living in a non-Tagalog area like Davao? I know national TV shows are in Tagalog..
Hi Matt – I speak English, a little Spanish, and getting more and more fluent in Bisaya. I would not be interested in learning Tagalog, as it is not widely spoken here in Davao, and I don't travel up north very often. Last time was in Manila was 4 years ago. So, little use to learn Tagalog. I consider continuing my Bisaya studies very important, though.
I have seen first hand how well kids can communicate here in the Philippines even without being able to speak to each other. Not long after moving to Bohol, some new neighbors moved in from South Africa. Their kids spoke English and very limited Tagalog, my son and nephew (only kids we had in the house at the time) spoke purely Bisaya. However, day in and day out these 4 kids played with each other for a few months and somehow were able to understand each other… as far as kids absorbing new languages like a sponge, I would definitely have to agree, the older you get the harder it is to learn a new language.
Mike K.
Hi Mike – You sure are right about the kids and communication! I used to agree with your statement about “the older you are the harder it is” but after my experience of learning cebuano, I just don’t believe that’s true anymore.
dear bob,
great as always to hear from you and your wonderful family.my wife and i read your articles often.my wife marie is from davao city and looks forward to each of the new articles as it keeps her imformed of the news about her hometown.
last year we came home to davao city from november until january,we had a marvelous time.we spent time at samal island enjoying the boat ride there and back as well as many snorkling adventures,and yes dont forget the roasted pig wow wow wee.
yeah bob its about time to retire over the pond to davao i have aquired several retirements and am at present am working on my last project with the va reference getting some lose ends tied up so my retirement will be enhanced.well bob better get going,so wishing you and your family the very best.
your friend in wyoming,
terry
Thank you Terry. Good luck with your current project, and I hope your plans to move to the Philippines all work out for you!
Good Evening Bob,
I checked out Feymas site with the markets and it was great and I requested her to answer a question from me. The other day my friend was talking to me and her sister interupted us and typed in these words could you please tell me what they mean in English the words are ” Sumbagon Teka ” I am not sure what it means could you please help me with these words that she stated?
Kind Regards
Philip
I am sorry, that is neither Bisaya nor Tagalog. I don’t have anybidea what language it is or what it means. Why not ask your friend?
Replying to Philip comments: I think the word is Sumbagon kita not sumbagon teka. It is an ilonggo phrase, meaning I will punch you or I will hit you. Good to All ! David Katague from Northern California and Marinduque, Philippines!
Hi thank you Bob and David,
I asked the friend what it meant at the time and she said it means your handsome?? I think David is on the mark it states somewhere on Yahoo site that it means ” Give me the money or I will punch you ” which is a concern for me as it sounds a bit different to ” She said you are handsome” but anyway thank you for your help I am still not fully sure what it means but if that is the case what David said the friend has lied to me, don’t you agree? Perhaps she is protecting her sister but I do not understand her language at all only some tagalog. If anyone else out there could help it would be much appreciated, once again thanks to Bob and David
Kind Regards
Philip
Hi
If you look in the lower left-hand corner of the new P20 note you will see that the correct name of the National language is Filipino – not Tagalog. Tagalog is a dialect of Luzon. Fortunately there are schools in Davao that are now teaching the National language using the correct name.
Actually, nowhere in the article does it say that Tagalog is the national language. In fact, it specifically says that Tagalog and Bisaya are dialects spoken in different parts of the Philippines, and that there are other dialects as well. In fact, the only place in the article where “national language” is even mentioned is in your comment, Steven, and this one. 🙂