When you talk with a stranger two things are obvious:
You haven't seen what I've seen,
I haven't seen what you've seen.
"So you finished school. What do you do?"
Struggling to find an answer he would understand and a title I simply uttered, "I'm a writer."
Riding along with Ruel to my destination in the streets of Manila, I saw impoverished people. There are little boys begging for money, mothers carrying daughters looking for homes, and busy bustling streets with zero traffic rules - something he was used to.
What he saw was history.
He was so happy to point out historic monuments like the oldest church in Mania, Manila's city hall, the Philippine's national hero José Rizal and the surrounding fences meant to ward off invaders.
I can't believe this is the country where my parents grew up.
When I asked more questions he said, "You know, you can google it."
He delighted me with jokes, even saying that I looked like a vegetarian. It made me laugh because of what people can assume of you by where you're from.
We had a conversation about technological advances being more up to date than you would think. Probably something he always mentions off of what first impressions people have of the city. They have the iPhone 6 and social media apps just like we do.
Though, I just couldn't help but think we are consuming technology much more seriously in our lives in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
For a moment of silence, I sat there and realized I am getting so much more than I expected to.