Afghan, did you court me?
Miss Ruth
October 2009, Germany

It was a question that was never answered until now.

Sometime in August 2009, I enrolled in a course in Germany. This was intended to learn the grammars of the German language as well as going along with people who wants to find a job and work in this country.

I speak not much German when I arrived in this course. Almost everybody in the class speaks the Russian language. One of my classmates is a person from Afghanistan. He was already nine years in Germany and lived in a town where 80% of the residents are Russian people. He learned the Russian language because of this environment aside from his nine-month stay in Russia. As English-speaking Filipino, I feel so helpless to communicate to them. They all speak good German but grammatical-wise, all of us needs sufficient understanding of it.

 

On my 3rd day in the class, the Afghanistan man named Seleman approached me and asked through a "trying-hard" English language a simple question like "What sport in is Philippines you knowing?" I was so happy to hear somebody speaking in English! Really. Despite his crooked English, I tried to speak slow and clear for him to understand me. Of course, I do not want to let him feel intimidated. I answered him, basketball (bas-ket-bal, literally read). "And Karate, you know?" I smiled and nodded my head.

On the fourth day, he asked me again, "Miss Ruth, what you think? How many years I am?" I was a little bit confused with the question. "Ah, you mean your age? I think you are 31 years old." He said, "no, i em 27 yars old only." (Is he just trying to tell me how old he is?)

On the following day, he followed me where I normally sit outside during our breaktime while I was drinking my bottle of juice. He was also holding the same juice which he got from the drink automat (drinking station/machine). He said, "Miss Ruth, oh, you have drinking already. I thought I can gift you this (the juice)." I just told him to drink it because he needs it. Besides, I have already my drink. I just said, thank you, I already have a drink.

On the next day again (huh), I was rushing to walk home kasi ang init sa daan. I just want to reach home at once. Hinabol na naman ako ni Afghan classmate, puede daw ba makisabay kahit hanggang train station lang? Oo naman, hindi naman akin ang daan, hehe. During the walk, he was telling me about the unending war in Afghanistan. It was pity to hear his stories that he went to Germany as a refugee. He only has to speak with his family by overseas call and it was a long wait for him when is the war ending. I didn't ask him so much about the war because it is already obvious in his face that he is so sad of what was happening and is still happening in Afghanistan. Besides, the international television networks always have war news about his country, which according to him is a war even before he was born. I agree with him.

It was on and on and on...lagi siyang may baon na kuwento para sa akin. Minsan may baon siyang fruits para sa akin. Minsan may baon na mga tanong araw-araw. Until one time, he invited me to his house, which is a 40-minute drive from the school. He said, he will let me taste Afghan food, drink one beer, fetch me direct in my house and return me home few hours later. It was flattering but I said, "Sorry, I am busy on the weekends." Hirit pa, at least man lang daw before the course ends. I just said, "let's see but I cannot promise."

What happend was, he needs to undergo a major surgical operation so he was out for two weeks in the school but he always had to call me every now and then and asks what did we do in school. One time, he made a surprise visit in the class, only to find out that I did not attend my class on that day. He went on a surprise visit again in the class during his two-week excused days from class and looked directly where I am. He told me, "Miss Ruth, I drive to the school long to see you. I to say thank you for the answer my calling." I reacted, "Drive? You just got operated and you are now driving? Are you doing suicide?" He said, "Please, can I drive you to your house?" Out of respect, ok, I allowed him to drive me home but I was a little bit scared that his stitches will break away, o-oh. I offered him to enter the house and a glass of cold tea but he said no. For him, it is enough that he was able to drive me home.

The course ended and I never saw him again. I did not had the chance to taste the Afghan food. No more calls. No more communication. It just ended with the course. Did he court me? Perhaps by now I should know that the answer is "yes".