FHM.com.ph

Interview: Alex Paita
Photography: Xander Angeles of Edge of Light

We love the accent! Seems you haven’t been in the country for so long…
I came here from Australia two years ago, originally for a two-week vacation. But then I couldn’t bring myself to leave. This is my home away from home talaga. As you can see my favorite word is “talaga.” I say it a lot. I think I’ve learned that in the first two weeks that I got here and I’ve been saying it ever since.

So you never knew a single Filipino word before you came here?
No. My mom tried to teach me but I wouldn’t learn. It’s hard kasi when you’re growing up in Australia and your mother’s trying to teach you another language, mahirap talaga. Oh there we go again, I’m going to ban that word!