Mind the (Communication) Gap, please!
The hubby and I have been stuck on the island for the past 30 months (and counting 20++ months more!!). When not traveling overseas to visit friends and family or attending a gathering or two here on island, most of our free time (which is not a lot for us professional number crunchers and bean counters) are spent with just the two of us doing things together… or apart. Our life pretty much became mundane after we’ve been to every interesting place here in about the first few months of our stay. Syet, tunog OFW na talaga ako.. haha.
However, each day is still interesting when you are married to a Brit. I’ve been spending everyday learning new stuff about his language, culture, interests, and his own ways - - although it’s always a challenge when I’m caught in between embracing his way or rejecting it. Being culturally diverse, I believe that most of the times we just agree to disagree, and then we carry on.
One thing worthy of note though is that I seem to have embraced his Brit talk… including the swearing, shite! Of course, I would still choose to speak Filipino whenever I have the chance – I always look forward to the few minutes I can spend chatting in the office with a kababayan, in Tagalog or in Ilonggo (if I’m feeling lucky), just to release the pressure in my brain which is always on Englisher mode.
As a Filipino who’s more familiar with American English, I must admit I am developing a more biased fondness (notice the accent please) to the British English or specifically, the English English. And for practicality’s sake, using my hubby’s talk is so much easier when we communicate. However, I’m still far off from comprehending (again, the accent please) all he’s saying - - I would still need a virtual sub-title when he yaks if he’s drunk (or pissed, as the Brits say). Eto talaga, walang kamatayang nose-bleed!
I’ve gathered quite a few Brit talk I’ve learned and most of them I’ve used in the past 30 months – care of the hubby, his friends, his family, and watching the BBC!
Let’s start with food:
· Babette’s favorite is tortang talong. But as David would say, “Barbara fancies aubergine omelet.” - - Naks, naging sosyal ang gagagaga.
· From kamatis (kah-mah-tis) to tomato (too-may-toe) and then to (tah-mah-toe). Di naman nagbabago lasa.
· Never ask for French fries at McDo when you are in the UK. Ask for chips.
· My Chippy chips are now called Chippy crisps.
· The cookie monster becomes the biscuit monster.
· Wanna grab food? = Fancy grabbing grub? (tunog basura)
· From giniling, to ground beef, to minced beef
· Appetizer is simply just a starter
· draft beer = lager
And then with the wardrobe:
· The first time David told me “It’s freezing cold outside, don’t forget your jumper.” Naloka ako, baket ako magus-suot ng jumper??!! I was like “what, what??!!” Then he pointed to my jumper - - kainis, he was referring to my sweater.
· His underwear is called pants. His pants are his trousers.
· bath robe = dressing gown
· “Caceres, have you seen my vest?” I was in my “what, what?!!” moment again. I told him I call it sando or undershirt. He now refers to it as sando. At syempre the vest that we know, he calls it waist coat.
· bota = boots = wellies (Don’t ask me how or why!!)
· “Seiko Seiko wallet..” = “Seiko Seiko purse, ang purse na maswerte..” - - ngek, hinde bagay!
Sample pa lang yan, more to come….. 
