My blog. My class.

July 09, 2006

Conversation Surprises

The more I mingle with the locals here in Singapore, the more I am surprised as to how they react once they learn I am a Filipino.

I was riding a taxi and the driver is a Singaporean but of an Indian descent (complete with a gray turban and beard). Surprisingly during the trip, he asked me if I am a foreigner. More specifically afterwards, he asked me if I am a Filipino. I said yes, wondering how he'd know. Well, apparently, he acknowledged that we Filipinos speak English distinctly with a (take note) "musical kind of tone". He admitted that Singaporeans tend to speak English in a manner like "reading a book" (or seems like reading a thick volume of a British Encyclopedia with alternating halts and breathes - how I understand his perception). I might look like a Malay crossed with some Chinese blood or otherwise but the way I communicate to him gave way as to my being a foreigner here in this small island (with thick British accent: "bloody hell").

So the fact is that I don't need to tell anyone I am a foreigner (Pinoy). I'll just speak up and the mystery will be solved.

Oh yeah, for those fellow Pinoys out there, just a "for your information" only: yes, I saw an umbrella tucked between the driver's seat and the gear shifter before I disembarked the taxi. For those who don't know what I meant by that, ask me about it. :-D

3 comments:

rmacapobre said...

i got this from the forums.

the media in france has publicised what exactly he (the italian) said. And as I would not repeat it in full, i’ll summarize for you,”ta mere est une *****. une ***** de une terrorist.” translated… “your mother's a ****, a **** of a terrorist.”

i believe the guy deserves more than just a headbutt .. most people would let such an affront to your dignity pass. just like that.

rmacapobre said...

the missing word i am guessing is whore/bitch or salope/putaine in french

jio said...

Yo Max,

Yup, could be one of those invectives that have triggered Zidane to become "hot-headed".

Hmmm... "salope/putaine", eh? Gives me an idea on how to trash talk here in this part of the world... ;-D.

Yo Virg, este 6r1V, nice to drop by here. I'll email you one of these days (kwento ko na lang mga pangyayari dito).

Yup, I know that Jojo is here (from Jojo himself during a Yahoo chat) and Gerson is also here (from Edwin [or was it Edwin who told me back then]). Anyways, I knew that I gave him my mobile number here before he left Philippines. Haven't heard from him since then. Been looking for others too, hopefully could stumble luckily to them in one of these days.

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Known to be the webmaster of the defunct Taym Matsing website (well, that's old news now...)