Learning the language

[Terpe]

If I'm honest I haven't really gotten along the learning curve as much as I'd hoped.
My wife insists on only teaching me Tagalog, but everyone here in Davao speaks Bisaya.

When you visit Philippines on a holiday there's really no need to learn anything about language simply because everyone you're with takes care of that part leaving you free to make the most of every experience and get the best out of your holiday.

Now that I'm living here, whenever I go off exploring I'm trying to communicate as best I can in Bisaya and it really happens that you can truly engage with people by doing that.
I've found they drop all defenses and will open up. Yes, there are jokes, giggles and laughter especially about my often poor pronunciation but that's always followed with really helpful stuff and a happy relaxed atmosphere.

I've always maintained that if you try communicating in the local language there's generally a positive response and it's so true here in the Philippines.

Whenever I go to the local market there's always smiles, teasing and plenty of laughter. Whether real or not I feel like I making connections. The more I try to communicate in Bisaya, the more I seem to become accepted.

It gives me more and more confidence whenever I'm out and about on my own.

I may need to buckle-down and focus more on learning the language instead of just pleasure seeking.

[Tawi2]

Immersion, it's the best way to learn

[Michael Parnham]

I understand about your wife not teaching you, Maritess can speak Tagalog but hates it really, so your wife hates Visayan!

[stevewool]

Good on you Peter, you are right about not learning it when on holiday, but you are living there, and maybe with the help of the people on board your jeepney trips, you could soon pick it up

[Terpe]

....... so your wife hates Visayan!

Certainly not Michael. In fact quite the opposite.
It's just that she feels learning Tagalog will be far more useful in the long term than only learning Bisaya.
There's really a lot of people here in Davao speaking both Bisayan and Tagalog as well as English.