My Culture Philippines The Philippines is a country with a diverse and rich culture and history. The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia and the closest countries are Vietnam, Taiwan, China and the islands of Indonesia. Its culture was heavily influenced by Spain, Mexico, and the United States, but its inhabitants before the Philippines was under the rule of Spain were influenced by China, Japan, India, and the Middle East. It is known for its tropics, biodiversity and rich culture. Two well-known dishes are lechon and lumpia. Lechon is a whole pig roasted for several hours. It is one of the national dishes of the Philippines. Lumpia is a fried spring roll and recipes vary, but a common recipe is minced meat, carrots and spices wrapped in a fried flour and egg crepe. Between 120 and 175 languages ​​are spoken in the Philippines. The official language of the Philippines is Tagalog and English, but indigenous languages ​​are popular. World languages ​​such as Chinese, English, Spanish, and Arabic are common. Two popular indigenous languages ​​are Cebuano and Ilocano. There are more than 180 indigenous ethnic groups in the Philippines constituting over 75% of the population. Two large ethnic groups are the Tagalogs and the Cebuanos. One of the major religions in the Philippines is Roman Catholicism which makes up 80.9% of the population. Minor religions include Islam and other Christians. The climate of the Philippines is tropical maritime and there are three seasons. The hot, dry season (summer) is from March to May. May is the hottest and driest month. The rainy season runs from June to November. August is the rainiest month. The cool, dry season is from December to February. February is the coolest and driest month. Western clothing is as popular as jeans… middle of paper… people take a week off to be with family and friends. Local churches in each city organize a re-enactment of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem from crucifixion to resurrection. The reenactment is very serious and the spectators cry and pray. The Festival de la Luz, Festival of Light, is a celebration that takes place in early December in Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. A Christmas float parade featuring music from Costa Rica's top bands plays in downtown San Jose. Christmas floats take to the streets as bands play Christmas music followed by fireworks. Independence Day is celebrated on September 15th throughout Costa Rica. Parades of students wearing traditional clothes, singing the national anthem and songs about independence. Students hold colorful homemade farole, raspberries lit by a flame brought from Guatemala. Costa Rica gained independence from Guatemala in 1821.