Cultural exchanges are fun.
It's always fun to learn a new language abroad.
The first thing to absorb, oftentimes, is how to say thank you in the local language.
But for Nagoya Dolphins' Ray Parks Jr. and Denso Airybees' Jia de Guzman, this kind of learning has developed into a full-blown cultural exchange. It has also become a bit of a bonding experience for de Guzman and her teammates.
The ever-affable de Guzman, who previously played for the Creamline Cool Smashers, is showing she can do more than just set up her teammates on the court by fulfilling some off-the-court duties, including playing "teacher" to her Brazilian teammate Rosamaria Montibeller. That isn't too surprising given Jia's comfort level with her new teammates, with whom she has made quite a good impression already.
Recently, she posted an Instagram Story of herself teaching the Brazilian star how to say Japanese numbers.
And, apparently, de Guzman is as good a language teacher as she is a setter.
Why, you might ask? Well, they got to 10!
Meanwhile, Parks is doing it the other way around as he seems to have taken it upon himself to teach his Nagoya teammates on how to introduce themselves in Filipino.
Naturally, you have to finish the lesson by teaching them how to say "Thank you!"
Parks, like de Guzman seems a natural in this language thing.
Who knows, maybe they can teach Pinoy tongue twisters next, like "nakakapagpabagabag."
(MDB)