Follow us to the Philippines

All Around This World map of Southeast Asia featuring the Philippines

In our online class this week we visited the island nation of the Philippines — 7,107 islands to be exact — which is unique among Southeast Asian countries in the fact that its colonial history brought it under the control of both the Spanish and the United States. Filipino culture is a mix of Spanish, American and indigenous strains, with influence from others in the region such as China, Malaysia and Indonesia thrown in for good measure. Over the course of the next week we’ll clang gongs, flap our arms like butterflies and sing a surreptitious song about love.