Mabuhay!
The Philippines is a wonderful place to explore. The people are super welcoming and will go above and beyond to help you feel comfortable while you are in the country. The country is made up of 7,641 islands if you put them all together they would equal about the size of Arizona. Only about 2000 of the islands are inhabited. The islands have been divided into three main groups, Luzon, which is the northern islands, Visayas, which is the middle group, and Mindanao is the southern. There are also over 120 languages throughout the country. The official languages are Filipino and English, but there is also a concerted effort to preserve all of the tribal languages and cultures.
I live in the Eastern Visayas on the island of Leyte. I live about 15 minutes from the MacArthur Leyte Landing memorial. The people group where I live are called the Waray Waray people. There are approximately 4.2 million Waray Waray people. The Philippines is located along the Ring of Fire which contributes to the large number of natural disasters that threaten the country every year. The people that I got to know are some of the most resilient people I have ever met. They are used to starting over and rebuilding. I was astonished how many people weathered their homes flooding with a smile and cheerful attitude.