beep beep i'm a jeep

March 15, 2011 (beware the Ides of March)

Today I got my first proposal in country. Well one involving eye contact, I’m not counting the millions of times people have shouted that they love me and ask me to marry them. I was looking for my money to give the conductor when he asked me if I had a dollar. I said no. He asked again, I said pesos la, waray dollars. He asked again and I said no not on me. He asked again for a dollar to give it to him as a keepsake. I said no, and he said well then you can give me a wedding arrangement I said. I just smiled and gave him my pesos. Later he asked me if I had a boyfriend, I said yes (sometimes I lie and say I do just to make life easier). He asked if her was guapo and I said yes. Then he asked if he was guapa like he was and I said not quite. Then we were at the mall and I got off.

Today coming back from the mall I was in the scary seat, which is also the best seat in the house. Jeepneys are old medical units from WWII. They have benches along each side that set anywhere from 16-21 Filipinos. Then in the middle they have stools you sit on, one person facing front the other facing back. These stools are three pieces of wood held together on will alone and a nail or two sometimes. A jeep can fit 3 of these stools. My seat was the last stool facing out. It has its perks, more legroom, a good view, and adventure. It also has its drawbacks. When they cram people into the door that seat can get stuffy, there are no arm holds, and when there are no people in the doorway every bump could be your last bump. Today I was sitting there texting with one hand, bracing myself with the other. I told C about my seat and she said I love/hate that seat, I feel like I’m always going to die. We had just picked up open highway speed and decided it was safest to put away my phone and focus on not flying out the back door (there weren’t people standing in the doorway).

I agree, I love/hate that seat, but I love/hate Jeepneys in general. I could dedicate a whole blog to just my jeep rides, but for this post I’ll keep it minimal and just keep to those two anecdotes, and skip the stories about the forgotten cat, the school bus rides, Filipino Jesus, and the countless near wrecks I go through whenever I get on.

i swear to blog (part 2 of this post needed a better title than beep beep i’m a jeep)

As for all the posts of late, and for their lengths (I kept this one short). For lent C said she would post everyday, and I don’t know if I’m extra bored lately or inspired but I’ve kind of followed suit. Not blogging for lent, but in keeping more notes on my goings on and doings.  For lent I chose to give up Internet cafes. Not Internet it self, but the daily 30 minute fix I’ve been doing lately. The emails I get will still be there when I do get around to check them, and I won’t be sad when I logged on to have no emails and still have to fork over the pesos. I’ve never been one to do Lent, but when in Rome, or in the Philippines that is, do as the Catholics do.