Chapter 1: It’s GOOD ! CEBU !! C’est bon !!! C’EST BEAU !!!! 

This is me preparing to fled the Chinese winter

Hi everyone! My name is not very important. However, people usually call me Uncle Nathan. So, why not you? I’m the new intern at 3D Academy. 3D Academy is to me one of the best English schools in Cebu, the second largest city in the Philippines. First of all, a bit of my background information is necessary. I am from the Republic of the Congo. Alert! There are two Congos in the Central Africa, one is the Republic of Congo (The french colony part) and another is the Democratic Republic of Congo (The Belgium colony part ).

Photo Credit: http://theafricaof.me

    Talking about my beautiful and mysterious country, you should know that the Republic of the Congo, also called the Congo Republic, West Congo, Congo-Brazzaville or simply Congo, is a country located in Central Africa. It is bordered by five countries: Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda. The political stability and development of hydrocarbon production made the Republic of the Congo the fourth-largest oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea. If one day, you want to visit the Central Africa, you are welcome in Congo. Check where to visit in Congo here. Beyond all fake stories you heard about the black continent, I would like just to tell you that there are many happy foreigners on our soil. Why? Because my country is the most amazing country in the world. Yes, it is true! Believe me.  **Disclaimer: I’m a Congolese. Our taste and colors are not always the same..  :p

   Although I am an African, I resided at the People’s Republic of China for my studies. Really? Yes, I can speak Chinese without even understanding what I’m saying… Sad reality! Anyway, for this post, I would like to share the story of my arrival in the Philippines. Before I set foot into this mysterious country, I always thought that it would be a dangerous journey as portrayed by many foreigners. Surprisingly the locals are very friendly and very welcoming. These positive points were my first impression of the Philippines.

   So, my dear friends, you probably have guessed the purpose of my trip: to improve my English. Yes, I can assure you that there are still some people in this world who do not speak English. It’s true. Oh my God! Uncle Nathan wrote it! Yes, I said that because I must  admit that learning English remains difficult for francophones. Although these two languages are daughters sharing the same father (Latin), but they are quite different. One is sexier than the other in my humble opinion (French babe). Unfortunately, the unsexy one (English man) is gaining more popularity in the world (Another Sad reality). So I have no choice but to learn this unsexy dude. The best way to learn a foreign language is to go to the countries where it is spoken. Me, being just a poor student like many, were struggling to find some cheap English courses. Life is often cruel for us! I have tears in my eyes (Don’t throw up please. You know that’s true!). Ahem.. Enough of my rant. I am getting serious now I promise. Yes I had to find an English-speaking country and I nearly fainted after seeing the high prices of English courses, travel expenses and living expenses in the United States, England and even in South Africa. None of these destinations can be considered unless you are a millionaire (Or well, your parents are), and it is not a piece of cake to be a millionaire these days.

    Already living in Asia, it seemed wise for me to come back down to Earth and find a country within my proximity. Time to google it. Oh, Google! Dear Google, I love you. And whoever that doesn’t love you is my enemy. Because from you, I discovered that the Philippines is the best destination to learn English when you have a limited budget. Nevertheless, I want to clarify a point. The affordable prices have nothing to do with the quality of courses. It’s definitely not the case of “Paying peanuts and you get monkeys” in this case. The teaching of the Shakespeare’s language in the Philippines is of high standard here. It is the official language in the country. That makes the environment attractive and highly competitive.

   3D Academy is the school that I recommend to all students who want to enjoy good and budget English courses in the world. And that’s not all. To be honest, what seduced me in addition to the respectable reputation of this Academy was the convenience and good service provided by the academy. Can you believe it? They provide all three meals (Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner) and accommodations together with the course. It’s really convenient, isn’t it? All you need to worry about studying here in to study in itself! They take care of everything else.I would not criticize other schools in Cebu, but a lot of their school fees do not include accommodation and meals like 3D Academy does.

The welcoming Cebu Fast Food Jollibee

Philippines Pesos

Jollibee Hotdog

Come on! No more hesitation! I jumped on the first plane heading to Cebu from China. During the time for a stopover in Manila, I changed some currency to buy a delicious hot dog at Jollibee. When I finally arrived at Mactan international airport at 5am in the morning, Edward, a seductive young man from Vietnam (another 3D intern), was there waiting for me to pick me up to the school. Amazing!  Did I just write seductive? Oopsie.. maybe that’s not entirely true… But he is certainly nice, helpful, and attentive… Stop! Don’t think too much! (No bromance here man, look elsewhere!!) He just brought me a bottle of water. It is actually one of my most refreshing memories. When we finally arrived at the destination by taxi. 3D INSTITUTE OF ENGLISH, bathed in the light of the rising sun, stood in front of me. And I said “Cebu, c’est bon, c’est beau”! That’s in French, meaning: “Cebu, it’s good, it’s beautiful.” That was an unforgettable view for someone who had just fled the Chinese winter.

Prep my luggage

Train Station in China

Bye China. I don’t miss your winter..

Are you curious about what will happen to me in 3D Academy next? If so, don’t miss my post next week: From 2D to 3D, the wings of a great school.

3D Buildings, bathed in the rising sun — view taken from the Basketball court in the Balcony

Thank you for reading. It’s Uncle Nathan here, reporting to you live from Cebu.