Today I went for some groceries, but was a total laze and ended up buying fast food instead of actually cooking real food. I ordered my food, in English of course, as I haven’t learned Arabic yet because as I stated earlier I am a total laze.

I started talking with the employee and was immediately impressed at how good his English was. It was obvious to me that he was a foreign, and it was obvious to him that I was also foreign. I asked him where he was from, and he told me the Philippines, then asked me the same question. He was excited to meet an American, and asked me for travel recommendations there.

He informed me that he, much like myself, was pretty liberal; but, unlike me, he is a Christian. He said he missed the total freedom of his country, as he was a dancer and barista. He also told me, much to my surprise, he is covered in tattoos. He said he was surprised at how some of the females here behave. He has had girls come behind the counter and ask him to marry them. He laughed and joked about how he simply told them that they’d “have to come live in the Philippines with me.” I noticed there was a tattoo peeking out from under his watch.

“Mashaallah,”I said to him, “I am impressed. Your English is very good. You have a very clear accent.”

“Thanks,” he replied, “So do you.”

Shortly after that we parted ways, but not before he gave me some free food.

Salaam,

KC