Here's a post I put on the Living in Cebu Forums. I'm explaining this Cebuano course I just finished.

Hi everybody, This is Bud Brown. A little history to, maybe, answer some questions. When I was a teenager I lived with a Mexican family in Mexico for a while. I quickly picked up Spanish and I also realized that it was kinda neat to know another language. After high school I joined the Navy (So I wouldn't go to Vietnam. haha How naive I was!) I was sent to the US Defense Language School in Monterey, CA to learn Vietnamese. I went to Vietnam in '71 and had a GREAT time! I'm not kidding! When you can shuck and jive with the locals, it makes a world of difference. I also was stationed in the Philippines (NAVCOMSTA PHIL San Miguel – Zambales ….yeah, I was a "spook" ) I met my wonderful Filipina wife there . Over the next 40 years I graduated from the local university with a degree in Linguistics, where I studied lots of other languages. I became a public school teacher, and retired in 2005. I finally realized my dream of coming back to the Philippines in March '11. Settling in Cebu, I knew my first and most important goal was to learn Cebuano. Unbelievably, I couldn't find any resources to learn how to carry on a conversation in Cebuano (Bisaya) so I girded my loins (so to speak), interviewed native speakers, found phrase books, and basically pestered all my Filipino friends and neighbors for about ten months. Then I gathered all my research and compiled a course that would have not only text, but also audio and video files. Thus, was born "Essential Cebuano: How to Speak and Understand Cebuano". To make it available and convenient to get , it's in digital form. Meaning, after you purchase, you download it to your computer, then you can read in on your computer or print it out (the whole thing or a section at a time). In the book are links to the audio and video files. I also just added a "slide show " for each of the lessons. Sorry if this sounds like an advertisement, but I just wanted to answer a lot of questions ahead of time, if possible . Feel free to PM me or ask on the forum and maybe others will have the same question. Right now, I'm in California visiting friends and family. I'll be back in Cebu (Dalaguete) the middle of Feb.

 Bud 

In 1968, I went to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California to study Vietnamese. At that time they offered intensive courses in 37 languages.I eventually went to Vietnam, and was also stationed in the Philippines, where I met my beautiful wife. Right away, I searched for material  and resources to study Tagalog. Even though I finally feel comfortable speaking Tagalog, my filipina wife's language, (after almost forty years of study) I often wished I could have had access to DLI's Tagalog Language Course. They had two Courses the long one called the Foreign Service Institute Tagalog Course, and the shorter one called Headstart for the Philippines. Well, lo and behold, I have not only located the courses but they are in digital format! That means you can download the audio into your iPod or any Mp3 player and you can read the text on your computer or you can print out any or all of the text materials. Yay for technology!

For more information on this course Go Here Headstart Tagalog

Please note: This entire course has been digitized, that is, the texts are ebooks (PDF format) and all tapes are now audio files (MP3 format)

This is a large SAMPLE audio file. (It takes a little while to load)

Here's a 1 minute sample of Tape 1

Well, I am presently in California. I'm cold!  I arrived here from the Philippines December 17, in time to spend the holidays with my mother and other family members. I only wish my wife could have come with me. She stayed at our house in the Philippines. Thank goodness for the internet. We talk via Skype every few days. I am planning to be back in the Philippines around the middle of February. 

Hello. My name's Jerry. 

Recently, I've been corresponding with a lady from the Philippines. She's really nice and we seem to have some real chemistry. 

I just wanted to let you know about something I've discovered that has taken our relationship to the next level. You see, even though she speaks English, I've been studying her language called Cebuano.

She tells me that even her parents are impressed with just the few  words and phrases that I've learned so far. They say I must really care for her if I've taken the time and effort to learn their language.

If you have a Filipina penpal, girlfriend or wife that speaks Cebuano, also called Bisaya, then I believe you would also benefit from getting this course. 

Go to www.EssentialCebuano.com for more information and even try a free sample lesson.

Thanks and have fun!

Gloria burps.

Bud says, "Honey, in some cultures, to burp out loud is very rude and shows lack of manners.

Gloria burps again.

Bud says, "Did your hear what I said?"

Gloria says,"Yes." Then burps extra loud!