MOVING ON

Last night, I happened to be watching TV, and heard in the background the remarks being made by a friend who was talking with someone on the phone. The person on the other line happened to remark in the affirmative that "he's from the Philippines" and my friend casually pointed out what his experience with previous call center agents that "they're not allowed to speak in Tagalog" [ wanna learn to speak Tagalog? click here] even if the customer (who in the case of my friend) happens to speak Tagalog. My friend whom I've known back in the Philippines wanted to seek help on certain problems he's been encountering with his recently brought HP Laptop . I could not help but say: "That's stupid!" I've heard this thing happened before, and I'm posting this blog just to express my disgust over this practice. Yet I'm curious why exactly? I should have asked my friend to ask the agent the reason behind the policy (are they actual...

I just want to give credit to the wife for patiently teaching her American husband to learn to  speak Tagalog.  And she is a Visayan at that!  Very good work, indeed!  It also shows volumes about the kind of loving this couple must have for each other. I'm always surprised when I hear some Filipinos I meet here who'd apologize to me when they can't speak really good Tagalog to me.  I don't take it really as a slight (even if they don't know I do Tagalog tutorials here in NYC).   Now, it's always easier for people to relate better with their loved ones if they speak a common language.  There are practical considerations for this.  It makes everyday life lighter and easier to pursue;  so much is lost in translation which can be frustrating for someone who likes to express something in a language that he/she knows best. But I'm just sure the wife is just like most Filipinos who are tri-linguals, i.e. they speak at least 3 languages including Tagalog (on which ...

I'm reminded by a hasty remark by a friend of a friend whose family have lived here in the US for the past 25 years.  She got so surprised at the idea of me teaching Tagalog on tutorial basis. She didn't ask about other details, but from the look of her eyes, she found the idea so disconcerting.  She's also from the Philippines, and their generation still speak the kind of Tagalog that's deep and respectful in tone (you'd know they speak their Tagalog in that particular manner by their age, certainly....noted for being deferential, kinda slow, & reserved); unlike the Tagalog that I've always known to be "Taglish (Tagalog & English combined or some say "conyotic"---don't know how to put the right N, if you know what I mean)," clipped and fast, without the "ho, po, opo, oho," & in a style that's notably as being from Manila as described once by a dear Visayan friend who remarked that Tagalogs speak Tagalog with a d...

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 Mandar...