In the workplace mostly:

In the Philippines, we say “Pass your papers.” Here it is “Turn in your papers” or “Turn in your homework”

The double-negative of my students often makes me smile and pout at the same time “Teacher, I aint got no pencil.” So…ok… what are you trying to say… Ano ba talaga, meron kang lapis o wala?! Hehe

In the Philippines we have the habit of saying “close the light” my 5-year olds go… “You mean turn it off?” Hehe or “close the door” they say “shut the door” Hehe

GROSS alert, can’t help it! Some blacks have a really strong accent, one of my co-teachers actually thought she heard one of our black co-teachers say : “Puta ki in the pekpek” Am sorry if this is gross, but it’s a true story and something they always regale us with during our Filipino parties – when they counter checked through the action, the black momma was saying “Put the key in the back pack” (Hehe)

I can very well relate to the endless “How ya doin?”

In the restaurants after eating, to ask for the bill, Filipinos go: “Waiter, yung CHIT please.” Here, they say “The check please.” Or sometimes, “The ticket” (why it’s called a ticket, I’ll never know –hehe)

Hay… nostalgia at its best. We live, we learn. Thanks Beth!

#1 Good for you that you call them tennis shoes - I call them rubber shoes. Jeff to this date refers to all my shoes rubber shoes if it has rubber sole on it. I was embarrassed with the thought of arguing with him that I only need one kind of rubber shoes to go running, working out, play tennis, etc..

#2 Business card ! It was on my interview with the embassy that he asked me for business card. Then I had to think for a while if he meant credit card (dumb me) ! Then I looked at him and said - did you mean calling card ? hehehehe

#4 On the “How are you doing ?” - doesn’t that irritates you when they do that ? That really bugs me ! If they don’t have the time to hear how I was feeling - then just say Hello !

To add to your list - in the Philippines we call rest room (CR or comfort room). I was new and in the restaurant when I asked the server where is the comfort room - he looked at me so strange and probably thinking what in the heck she wanted ! Then he said with a funny look - did you mean Bathroom ? and gave me the instruction. I thought why call a place bathroom - sounds like a place you take a shower !

Beth.. this post is so real, brought me back lots of funny memories !

few of my english colleagues once laughed at me while i was doing my hand-over report.. she said went back from O.R. seen on E.R. rowena you sound like american.” they call e.r. here accident and emergency(which i argued, don’t you think its a bit redundant coz an accident is by itself an emergency) and o.r is known here as theatre( i gave up at this point as i knew i aint gonna win).

pharmacy is called chemist here.heath center is surgery.we call consultant surgeons mr and not dr. and the other field of specialty in medicine dr.

well, i think i can live with that if only they can pronounce my name in our native tongue…ha!ha1ha1

Hi Joanie, thanks for sharing your experience. I forgot about that, but it is not my experience, but my cousin hehe. She said she had been mistaken as lesbian because she hold hands with a girlfriend, so, she is more careful now, hehe. And I laughed out loud with your smile of “are you two going out?” if i were still new here, my reply, would also be “yes”, hehe, since in translation, “lalabas ba kayo?” di ba, lalabas naman talaga? However, here, going out means “dating”, hehehe. Yes, our thank you extends the yoooouuuu, hehehe. Yes, at first, I too thought how ridiculous it is for America to ask to wear proper tennis shoes America teaches you to have plenty of shoes I guess, running shoes for running, gym shoes for gym, basketball shoes for basketball, soccer shoes for soccer, hiking shoes for hiking and there are even several types of hiking shoes…gheee, if you are into outdoors, you have to invest in all their types of shoes

Hi Don, thanks for sharing, now I know what jumpers are, that is so confusing indeed hehehe. Yeah, here, sneakers can be trainers too, but seldom used, maybe got it also from British. OH, now, I hope those who ask me if “I am alright” are British Don, sometimes, in the trail, I pause or stop to take a rest, I believe I look okay, and some people would ask me instead of “how are you?” they ask “are you alright?” and I wonder if do I look like running out of my breath. Next time, I will just remind myself they must be British.

Hi Cher, would you believe some people here also use “take away”….at first, when i was asked about that, i did not know what to reply, until she changed it to the more common,”For here or to go?” About the go back, I too will be confused Cher.

Hi Cel, yes, nosebleed talaga, hahaha, .

kaka-nosebleed talaga mag-relate sa mga Ingles! hahaha!

on calling card, here it’s name card or bussiness card too.

“take out” sa Pinas, “take away” dito! hahaha! my mom corrected me when i told the cashier in a hawker centre (food court) that the food i ordered is for take away. nakakahiya daw english ko! hahaha!

“go home” sa Pinas, dito “go back”. imagine on my first day at work, i was ready to go home when my boss asked me to go back. i hurriedly put back my bag in the locker and ask my Filipino colleague why they asked me to go back. yun pala, pinapauwi na ako! hahaha!

there’s a lot more but can’t remember all. will probably share it in my blog next time
btw best, nag-umpisa pala sa pag-offer ng sweater ang love story mo. how sweet of Khai to do that