Kumusta po? I am here to guide you in learning the Filipino and Bisaya languages. I am a Native Speaker. These vernaculars are the two main languages in the Philippines. See you in my class.

Find out more about Trixie Mae

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I am a Native Speaker of the Filipino language and Cebuano/ Bisaya dialects. I am Filipina and I live and travel across our Country. Not only being Filipino born and raised but also our schools and universities taught us how to use the proper syntax and pronunciations of our own language which is Filipino and also our dialects, Bisaya or Cebuano which equipped us to teach. So, I am very ready to help people learn the language, culture, and traditions of the Philippines.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  Jose P. Rizal is our national hero and he was a Filipino writer, nationalist, and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. He was executed by the Spanish Colonial Government for the crime of rebellion after the Philippine Revolution broke out inspired by his writings mainly, "Noli Me Tangere" and " El Filibusterismo". The scripts awakened patriotism and love for the language and country. In his writing Sa Aking Mga Kabata he even quoted " Ang taong hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay masahol o higit pa sa hayop at mabaho o malansang isda". means he who loves not his own language and dialects is worse than a beast and a stinking fish. This encouraged us to love our own language and dialects.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  We do have wonderful distinctly Filipino traits I am proud of " Pakikitungo" means hospitality, "Mapagkawang-gawa" means charitable, " Masayahin" means happy and of course " Masinop" (resourceful). Let us start with " Pakikitungo" we are well-known to be very hospitable to our guests or even strangers regardless of race. We greet people on the streets, Also, we see to it that our guests are full by giving them food and drinks. Even visitors we treat them as our family. We are also very helpful people. We can't afford to not help when there are emergencies. Most people here are selfless even those who are homeless and live in poverty lines. They will even extend help even if they too need big help. Despite the chaos and difficulties in our lives, we still manage to smile or even made fun of life's trials. You can see " Masayahin" Filipino people even in times of hunger, fortuitous events, and how poor life is. We are wired and trained that life is temporary so we should find ways to make it bearable and smile to release lots of tension. We are also " Masinop" one example is we have a lot of OFWs or Overseas Filipino Workers. Our love for our family pushes us to be resourceful. If some of our fellowmen are unfavored with opportunities in the country then we are brave enough to find them even outside our comfort zones.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Filipino language and Bisaya language and dialect are part of my identity. It is what makes me distinct from other races. I am a Filipino citizen and I am proud of my language. I am glad to have this avenue to teach my language because I can introduce our behaviour, culture, and tradition to the world.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  The difficulty varies with the levels of the student. Most are for beginners, pronunciation, and reading are the most difficult ones. It takes a lot of time to enunciate the words correctly, especially the "t", "nga","mga" sounds. I patiently do reading exercises and aid them through songs in English translated into Filipino to facilitate recall and recapitulate the words before classes start. I had structured materials already available for them. I also give them homework and audio or video clips to do. Lastly. I believe that having fun with the lessons is the most effective way of learning so I made the lessons fun, exciting, and engaging.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  I would like to recommend " Sa Aking Mga Kabata" means To My Fellow Youth by Dr. Jose P. Rizal our National Hero written in 1869 when he was 8 years old. This piece promotes the love for one's own language. He even quoted " Ang taong hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay masahol o higit pa sa hayop at mabaho o malansang isda". means he who loves not his own language and dialects is worse than a beast and a stinking fish.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are the three main geographical islands in the Philippines. Luzon's main dialect is Tagalog and Visayas and Mindanao are Cebuano or Bisaya dialects. Traveling in Cebu located in Visayas, Zamboanga Province in Mindanao, and talking to my Luzon Friends like people living in Manila helps me grasp all the accents of the locals and also how they use certain words because we have different meanings of the same word it depends on the locations like for example "langgam" in Luzon is an ant while in Visayas and Mindanao, it is a bird. Like in Cebu, they call the house "bay", in Mindanao they say "balay" and in Manila they say " Bahay".

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I am a Superprof in language because I know what I teach. Even though I spoke my language, I inculcate our traditions and include our History to better understand the syntax rules and origins of the words because the Filipino language is a mix of denoted words from foreign countries that colonized our country before. I am an experienced teacher. I teach Filipino and Bisaya dialects to beginners and even young learners since 2020. I assess, adjust and cater to all student's needs in the learning process. I believe learning is fun. I make the lessons engaging and exciting. I believe in my student's ability to learn. I am patient and understanding too.