This "Language" Trip Back from Washington, D.C.
I'm glad I took the trip back to New York city on an early Monday morning trip. I was the first passenger to show up that morning, somewhere in L Street between 15th & 16th Streets in Washington, D.C.(am not sure though if this is the correct address), in a bus, aptly called "Dragon." These enterprising short distance transport services have made sure we consumers get the services we need at the least prices for us to pay. What struck me immediately was the Driver, a Chinese guy, who could very well be a relative of mine back in the Philippines. Yes, Filipinos typically share the same, strange, oriental looks some foreigners rave about Asian looks these days.
Now, this Driver, spoke Chinese, in Mandarin, actually to me. I knew it, as I've studied Mandarin myself for nearly 3 years on a tutorial basis with an old, gentle fellow who spoke Tagalog, English, Mandarin, Fookien fluently (Mainland Chinese themselves are amazed at his abilities to speak better Mandarin than them, my Tutor would tell me, & I've seen him on occassions when we get to stores owned by Chinese from Mainland China right in the heart of Chinatown[Binondo] in downtown Manila). I was kinda amused, and kept on smiling at the idea that this Driver is able to get away with this kind of stance here in this side of the USA. He showed a nonchalant attitude, but rather cool way in just using Mandarin althroughout. Now, I thought about possibilities that this trip could be an illegally provided service itself (if there's such a concept).
One by one, the other passengers showed up for the 6:30am trip. There was this white guy (who I later found out to be Russian) who showed up with his 2 companions who were just sending him off to this NYC trip who tried to explain to our Mr Driver that he already paid his ticket online. He was just not able to print any proof it, to which our Mr Driver muttered something. Of course, we can always have the option to pay our tickets online. However, I decided to just pay for my ticket in cash when I'm already in the bus. I found really hilarious to look at our Mr Driver explaining himself all in Mandarin, and not a bit English to the white guy. I presumed they understood each other very well, even if I'd see the white guy in his disbelief that this Driver was talking to him in a strange, non-English language all the time.
Other passengers showed up, including 2 Korean guys, who looked like they're in short, ongoing adventure. They just ignored our Mr Driver who also talked Mandarin to them. As usual, I'm not that comfortable with these guys, as they're abrasive, and pushy at times. They seated first at the back of my seat, and decided to move next to the seats across my seat. One was rather narcissistic, and conscious about his looks which I found pretty; I found him more like a desirable woman than a man. But I'm glad, I found him really not attractive at all, as he looked rather unkempt and dirty.
At one of the stops, other passsengers got in. These trips, I soon realized, never get jampacked, as they're out of the season. There were these couples who were rushing to get to NYC. I saw a pretty Indian woman, with soulful eyes, got in. There was this black, tall, and confident looking fellow who was in his tie, long sleeve shirt, black pants and ready for an interview, as it seems to me. There was this Chinese couple who readily spoke Mandarin with our Mr Driver. They were just amused as well as they keep on hearing our Mr Driver talk in straight Mandarin to all our passengers.
A couple that got in had to continuously explain to our Mr Driver that they have paid online. Every now and then, each one of them would try to make sure they understood what exactly they wanted to tell each other. The white woman made sure several times to get exact details on their trip tickets, as they have paid, apparently, for two-way trip tickets. Our Mr Driver wanted to keep the printed copy of the online purchase as his proof that this couple has indeed paid as they've claimed. At least thrice while we were pausing during the trip that I observed the woman got up from her seat to write the exact, right details of their printed copies that they were actually unwilling to leave to our Mr Driver. The woman looked in big, wide opened eyes, as our Mr Driver kept on talking to her in Mandarin, and she was really amused, as she gave me the helpless look, as if she wanted to seek some help just in case they're not able to understand each other.
Our Mr Driver also called up the Office on his celfone, to check on the veracity of the Russian's claim that he has paid online. He showed his passport, with his visa on it, and tried to spell out his difficult sounding name on the celfone. All this took place while we took some short pause on our trip back to NYC again. You just won't hear anything except Mandarin from our Mr Driver.
I was thinking of other ideas and plans while on this trip. I've realized that actually, even the US has been experiencing the deluge of Mandarin speaking [or perhaps in other Chinese languages], people from China. The sheer number of Chinese affords them the freedom to make use of their native languages, other than English, anywhere they go. These are really ordinary men and women who just thought and decided they can very well speak Chinese here in the US where we're expected to use English, as demanded by circumstances put in place. I wonder how this will lead to distilling of the English language to take in new words, actually foreign ones, from other languages. I also wonder in amusement how these people are able to get their proper papers here in the US, without competently speaking in English. But they could get away with it, which is the same with those I've met who use some Indian-sounding languages, Eastern European languages, as well as Spanish (of course), all these in addition to different versions of English itself (e.g. what's spoken in the West Coast actually sound different from what spoken in the East Coast). I felt confident, as I've discerned that I can actually use Tagalog myself when I deal with these English speaking persons around me. As long as I'm able to deliver the service that they need on a sustained basis, I'd then be doing this more comfortably, at least in NYC. I'd also then keep on making myself fluent in listening, speaking, reading, writing in English, Spanish, and Mandarin from hereon.
Now, this Driver, spoke Chinese, in Mandarin, actually to me. I knew it, as I've studied Mandarin myself for nearly 3 years on a tutorial basis with an old, gentle fellow who spoke Tagalog, English, Mandarin, Fookien fluently (Mainland Chinese themselves are amazed at his abilities to speak better Mandarin than them, my Tutor would tell me, & I've seen him on occassions when we get to stores owned by Chinese from Mainland China right in the heart of Chinatown[Binondo] in downtown Manila). I was kinda amused, and kept on smiling at the idea that this Driver is able to get away with this kind of stance here in this side of the USA. He showed a nonchalant attitude, but rather cool way in just using Mandarin althroughout. Now, I thought about possibilities that this trip could be an illegally provided service itself (if there's such a concept).
One by one, the other passengers showed up for the 6:30am trip. There was this white guy (who I later found out to be Russian) who showed up with his 2 companions who were just sending him off to this NYC trip who tried to explain to our Mr Driver that he already paid his ticket online. He was just not able to print any proof it, to which our Mr Driver muttered something. Of course, we can always have the option to pay our tickets online. However, I decided to just pay for my ticket in cash when I'm already in the bus. I found really hilarious to look at our Mr Driver explaining himself all in Mandarin, and not a bit English to the white guy. I presumed they understood each other very well, even if I'd see the white guy in his disbelief that this Driver was talking to him in a strange, non-English language all the time.
Other passengers showed up, including 2 Korean guys, who looked like they're in short, ongoing adventure. They just ignored our Mr Driver who also talked Mandarin to them. As usual, I'm not that comfortable with these guys, as they're abrasive, and pushy at times. They seated first at the back of my seat, and decided to move next to the seats across my seat. One was rather narcissistic, and conscious about his looks which I found pretty; I found him more like a desirable woman than a man. But I'm glad, I found him really not attractive at all, as he looked rather unkempt and dirty.
At one of the stops, other passsengers got in. These trips, I soon realized, never get jampacked, as they're out of the season. There were these couples who were rushing to get to NYC. I saw a pretty Indian woman, with soulful eyes, got in. There was this black, tall, and confident looking fellow who was in his tie, long sleeve shirt, black pants and ready for an interview, as it seems to me. There was this Chinese couple who readily spoke Mandarin with our Mr Driver. They were just amused as well as they keep on hearing our Mr Driver talk in straight Mandarin to all our passengers.
A couple that got in had to continuously explain to our Mr Driver that they have paid online. Every now and then, each one of them would try to make sure they understood what exactly they wanted to tell each other. The white woman made sure several times to get exact details on their trip tickets, as they have paid, apparently, for two-way trip tickets. Our Mr Driver wanted to keep the printed copy of the online purchase as his proof that this couple has indeed paid as they've claimed. At least thrice while we were pausing during the trip that I observed the woman got up from her seat to write the exact, right details of their printed copies that they were actually unwilling to leave to our Mr Driver. The woman looked in big, wide opened eyes, as our Mr Driver kept on talking to her in Mandarin, and she was really amused, as she gave me the helpless look, as if she wanted to seek some help just in case they're not able to understand each other.
Our Mr Driver also called up the Office on his celfone, to check on the veracity of the Russian's claim that he has paid online. He showed his passport, with his visa on it, and tried to spell out his difficult sounding name on the celfone. All this took place while we took some short pause on our trip back to NYC again. You just won't hear anything except Mandarin from our Mr Driver.
I was thinking of other ideas and plans while on this trip. I've realized that actually, even the US has been experiencing the deluge of Mandarin speaking [or perhaps in other Chinese languages], people from China. The sheer number of Chinese affords them the freedom to make use of their native languages, other than English, anywhere they go. These are really ordinary men and women who just thought and decided they can very well speak Chinese here in the US where we're expected to use English, as demanded by circumstances put in place. I wonder how this will lead to distilling of the English language to take in new words, actually foreign ones, from other languages. I also wonder in amusement how these people are able to get their proper papers here in the US, without competently speaking in English. But they could get away with it, which is the same with those I've met who use some Indian-sounding languages, Eastern European languages, as well as Spanish (of course), all these in addition to different versions of English itself (e.g. what's spoken in the West Coast actually sound different from what spoken in the East Coast). I felt confident, as I've discerned that I can actually use Tagalog myself when I deal with these English speaking persons around me. As long as I'm able to deliver the service that they need on a sustained basis, I'd then be doing this more comfortably, at least in NYC. I'd also then keep on making myself fluent in listening, speaking, reading, writing in English, Spanish, and Mandarin from hereon.
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