Promdi Tales 3

More and more funny experiences in being new to a place ...

German Shopping Habits [from Ting-Aling]

A Pinay nurse and her friend came to Germany to work. It was their first time and they cannot speak nor read in German. It was also their first winter there. She and her friend decided that they have to buy some coats. So they entered a shop and pointed to the rows and rows of coats and jackets hanging. The shop owners didn’t want to sell them anything. The girls were puzzled, they’ve got the money, the shop has got the goods - why they won't let them buy? It turned out they went into a dry cleaners !!

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Soup ala Tide [from BongK]

During our study in ROC (Taiwan), we were invited to an exclusive dinner by the big bosses (officials of the host country). On the dining table there were a number of bowls already prepared that had lots of different things in it. My Pinoy friend (there were 2 of us) saw one bowl containing what looked like creamy soup. Naturally he thought the first course of the meal was soup, so he spoon-scooped and tasted it. “Wheeew, lasang sabon” (“It tastes like soap”), he said. Then the waiter came to us and said “Sir you need not taste it, it’s for washing your hand !”

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Leaving On a Jet Plane [from Ting-Aling]

My friend was flying in first time to the US on board Japan Airlines. When he was served food, the very first thing he wanted was the icing in the box. He was actually a bit peeved that the Japanese served icings in so little quantity. In short, he spooned all of the wasabi in his mouth all in one go !! (Water ! Water ! Gimme water!)

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The First Time Gardener [from Ting-Aling]

Here is my life story, I first came in the US at the tail end of winter and start of spring – March 31. Trying to be a good guest to my hosts, I donned my boots and gloves and went out to the garden and swept all the dried leaves and pulled out all the dead weeds. My host wept when she saw that I pulled out all her favourite seasonal plants. They were meant to lose their leaves in winter and grow again in spring ! She even said she had been cultivating them for several years. Waaaah! I made sure of course to replace all her beloved plants.

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Baby You Can Drive My Car

My father-in-law (FIL) was quite new in California. He was driving along the I-5 and came at the tail end of a group of cars. You know how it is in those situations, you tend to drive with the flow not realizing that you’re speeding. Long story short, a patrol car came up and nabbed him. He was explaining and complaining at the same time on why he was speeding and why he was the only one stopped. The police office said (metaphorically), “Well if you’re fishing do you catch all the fish?” feeling smug and went back to scribbling. My FIL retorted, “Well yes – if you’re good !” It’s a good thing the officer just looked at him and didn’t answer. Nahuli na nang insulto pa! (He already got caught but he still insulted the police officer!)

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Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery

A barrio-mate of mine boarded a plane to London to be reunited with his nurse wife. It was his first time to fly and his first time to be out of the Phils. He actually felt very nervous because he did not know what to do or how to behave in the plane. He eyed up his British seatmate and thought that he looked like a seasoned traveler. So he decided to follow whatever his seatmate does. And when he said “whatever he does” it means everything. When the guy ordered chicken for the meal, he ordered chicken, when the guy opened the lid of his food, he opened the lid of his food, when the guy asked for water he asked for water, when the guy pierced and cut his food, he pierced and cut his food even mimicking the number of times the knife was slid back and forth! He even didn’t finish his dessert though he likes it because the seatmate didn’t finish his. (I think I’ve seen this in a Dolphy movie). And this is all true! Hehehe!