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I learned what it feels like to be a student again. I started learning Bisaya.
The Philippines is home to more than 100 languages, and Bisaya, often referring to Cebuano, is the country’s second most spoken language. Yet it was only this summer that I had the chance to travel to and stay in a Bisaya-speaking town in Northern Mindanao.
For two weeks, I was surrounded by a language I could not fully understand. At first, it was frustrating. People would talk around me, and I would catch only a few familiar words. I had to focus, watch people’s expressions, listen for clues, and use context to figure out what was happening. Ordinary conversations became little puzzles.
Then I started noticing connections. Some Bisaya words have Spanish roots, while others sounded familiar because I can speak Ilocano. Every familiar word felt like a small discovery.
I learned a lot in those two weeks because I was immersed in the language. I listened, guessed, made mistakes, and tried again.
As a teacher, I often tell my students that mistakes are part of learning. This summer, I experienced that lesson myself.
Learning Bisaya made my world feel bigger. I came home with new words in my head, new sounds in my ears, and a new appreciation for how much of my own country I have yet to discover. And for now, I am happy to remain a beginner.
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