Cross-Cultural Sharing on the Back of a Jeepney

“Hello”

“Maupay”

“And who are you, edoi?”

“My name is Peter.  I like your place.  Babatngon is very beautiful.”

“Ay, Salamat.  Are you German?”

“No, Americano ako.  I lived here for two years, and just came back.”

“You married Filipina? What is your work?”

“No.  I was a Peace Corps volunteer.  I came back with the Church of the Brethren Disaster ministries.  A relief organization.”

“Oy, you’re military.”

“No, Peace Corps is not military.”

“You carry gun?”

“Yes, big gun.”

“Are you catholic?”

“No, the Church of the Brethren is a protestant denomination.”

“Ay, you are Mormon.”

“No, iba (different) church.”

“Ay, many foreigners like you come to marry Filipinas.  They are very good caregivers, as you know.”

“No, I said I didn’t marry a Filipina and I’m here for a different reason.”

“Ha, ha, oy!”

“Okay.”

“Did your church build the simbahan there across the road?”

“Yes, my Filipina wife and I built the Catholic Church there across the road.  We put many guns there.”

“Ay, Salamat.”

“You’re welcome.”