I recently had the chance to record a really fun and meaningful podcast right here in Bucharest, hosted at the amazing Sam’s Fusion Cuisine Restaurant.

Together with the lovely people behind One Minute Romanian, we dove into a topic that’s becoming more and more relevant today: HOW MIGRATION is building real CULTURAL BRIDGES between countries.

The whole experience had a very “Pinoy” vibe, especially with the incredible Filipino dishes on the table like Adobo, Sinigang, and Lumpia. Food has a way of bringing people together, and this setup made it so easy to open up about culture, language, and identity.

What surprised us most was just how similar Romanians and Filipinos actually are. From humor to family values and even gossip (yes!), there are so many shared traits that make these two cultures connect naturally.

One of the funniest parts of the conversation was discovering how some completely normal Tagalog words can sound…let’s just say VERY different (pervert😂) in Romanian. If you’re Filipino living in Romania, quick tip: maybe don’t shout “RED” in Tagalog at a stoplight unless you want some confused (or shocked) reactions from locals.

“RED” in Tagalog is “PULA” which, in Romanian sounds like something only boys have and girls don’t.

We also talked about language learning and how challenging Romanian can be, especially for a OFW. But at the same time, we discovered something important: learning a new language doesn’t have to feel like a struggle. It should be fun. And when it’s fun, you’re already halfway there.

That’s exactly the philosophy behind One Minute Romanian.

Behind the project are Simona and Erlyn, two English teachers based in Bucharest who create short, engaging 1-minute reels on Facebook. Their content focuses on useful Romanian phrases and words, making it easier (and way more enjoyable) for anyone to learn the language step by step.

We also touched on my personal journey of slowly getting “filipinized” – from falling in love with the food to embracing the warmth and richness of Filipino culture. It’s been an incredible experience so far, and honestly, it keeps getting better.

Big thank you to the owner of Sam’s Fusion Cuisine in Bucharest for the amazing food, great vibes, and for providing such a perfect filming location. This podcast was not just a conversation, it was a celebration of cultures coming together.

I am still editing the video. It will be available here and on YouTube as soon as possible. I still need to go through 3 hours of footage 😂

Until then check this out: How OFW chose Romania to open a Restaurant.