I had a strange experience yesterday. I boarded a jeepney on the way home and happened to sit next to someone who scooted over to let me get a better sitting arrangement. I thanked him since I knew he didn’t have to do that, but he did so anyway.

The next thing I know, he was smiling at me and saying, “I often manage to ride the same the same jeepney as you. Where do you work?” I told him the name of the building where I worked and then he asked, “In a call center?”

I bristled. I really did. In this country, call center employees are rarely regarded seriously, mostly because they aren’t really graduates of any specialized field; they’re just college graduates.

I shook my head and threw him the name of the company I worked in. He did a double-take once he heard it, disbelief clearly showing on his face, and repeated the name to confirm it with me. I nodded. And proceeded to ignore him the rest of the journey.

I smiled wryly. Despite the many management errors our company has, it still holds a certain level of respect within, and even without, the engineering field. The irony.

In truth, I didn’t know if the stranger was surprised because of where I worked, or what that implied. It irritated me to think that he didn’t think I’d be a part of the engineering field. Is it hard to accept a woman can graduate from an engineering course and get her professional license early? Because I’m a woman?

My alter ego is rolling her eyes at me again. She says I’m trying to go crusading for women rights in this post. Oh well.

I certainly don’t want to see him again. Imagine trying to hit on a girl inside a jeepney.. Urrg.

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