Today at the restaurant were two Filipino customers. They were surprised when I suddenly spoke to them in Tagalog (my native dialect), and bursted out "Filipino ka pala! (You're a Filipino)" They said that I look like some other Asian race. I told them that they, too, look more Chinese than Filipino, and I wouldn't have known had I not heard them speaking in Tagalog.
It is not very often that we have Filipino customers come by. In fact, it was the second time only. The first one I met there is a first cousin to the Sottos in Manila; known both in the showbiz and political arena. In a place where people speak different languages, and English of different accents, it is relaxing in a way to hear my native language being spoken. It feels like home! :)
