Streetbuzz Interview

October 17, 2005

Erma & Ernst Leuthner
Erma, 22, resident of St. Georgen, Austria; formerly of Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines. Self-description: "I'm simple, honest, long hair, brown skin, I think that's all."
Ernst, 41, resident of St. Georgen, Austria. Self-description: "Bus driver. Average: the way I look, the way I talk, my job. Just an average guy. It's true."

A STREETBUZZ INTERVIEW

STREETBUZZ: Both of you, where were you born and how about your childhoods?

ERNST LEUTHNER: Well I was born in the same town where I live now. What can I say about my childhood? It was also average. Yeah, it was actually not bad, I had everything I wanted, and you know it was, I think my childhood was all in all, happy. My father is a bus driver also, and my mother was a cleaning woman. They're both retired now. I have one sister; she's also in Austria now.

ERMA LEUTHNER: I was born in Kodia, Bantayan Island, in Philippines. It was difficult, yeah, my parents were very poor, I cannot eat what I want, almost every day hungry. I was eight years old I was already start to work, start to washing clothes. I have seven brothers and one sister and my mother and father. My father is a fisherman and my mother is a beautician.

STREETBUZZ: Tell me about your first trip to the Philippines.

ERNST LEUTHNER: I think it was 1999, I went to Angeles (Angeles City, north of Manila.) It was a very good experience for me 'cuz it's quite different than Austria. I liked it so much, that a few months later, I come again to Angeles.

STREETBUZZ: How did you meet Erma?

ERNST LEUTHNER: She was working in a restaurant in Cebu City opposite to me (Pete's Kitchen, on Palaez Street, opposite McSherry Pension House, where both Ernst and Chris Pforr have stayed in downtown Cebu City.) And she was the most beautiful Filipina I saw since I was in the Philippines, that's why I started talk to her, and I invited her for lunch to Jolibee. That's when everything started. I falled in love with her, and I guess she was falling in love with me.

ERMA LEUTHNER: I was working at the restaurant, a few foreigners like me, but I choice Ernst because I think he was the nicest one. Yes, he's a good man, but he's a really good man (smiles & laughs.) For now I can say I'm the only one lucky. For now, I can say. A few months later, maybe not (laughs.)

STREETBUZZ: So you fell in love with each other, then what happened? Erma, how about you first this time?

ERMA LEUTHNER: No, Ernst first...

ERNST LEUTHNER: It was not easy. Because she was still a virgin, and whenever I wanted to meet her, talk to her, her brother always was chasing us, behind us, you know what I mean, 'cuz he was responsible for her, he was like a security guard. So, after a few days, we was meeting us in secret places, and I was sure that I really liked that girl, I decided to go with her to her parents, to Bantayan, and there I was asking her father for her hand, or if she marries me. And what a surprise her father agreed (both laugh.)

ERMA LEUTHNER: Yah, I don't know how to say that in English. Then my father was agree, then we had to start the marriage papers, and really difficult because I don't know how to go to Manila, we had to pay the Filipina woman where I get these papers, and this and this and this. I can say this was not really very easy. It was not easy to marry foreigner.

STREETBUZZ: And then Ernst went home to Austria and what happened next?

ERMA LEUTHNER: Yes, and then Ernst went to Austria, and then after I finished the papers, and I went to Manila, I was passing all interview in at Austrian Embassy. And then I was going to Austria, and then in the airport in Austria, I had to wait Ernst how many hours? Five hours. Had to wait him, I never sit down only in one chair, five hours, almost no breathing, cuz I was so nervous cuz I'm in the other planet (nervous laughter.)

STREETBUZZ: And then your prince arrived at the airport?

ERNST LEUTHNER: Yes I arrived at the airport, picked her up, and now we stay already three years ago this happened. And I think she adjusted very good to Austria, every man between 17 and 70 wants to talk to her, I think she likes that. Of course she is missing her country very much, her family, friends, but Austria I think is a good place to live also. And I think she likes the country.

ERMA LEUTHNER: Yah it was like a paradise, it was really beautiful, I cannot describe my feelings, it was... uhh... Ahhhh... (Sigh of pleasure.) I was really very happy, also now, to be there.

STREETBUZZ: So what's the difference between Philippines and Austria ?

ERMA LEUTHNER: It's a very big different. Austria is a very nice country, clean, and the people is very hard worker, yes they're nice to me, friendly, most of them is man. The woman is a little bit jealous. Yah, it's true. The climate is very cold, almost no summer, but even its very cold there, I love Austria. Philippines is of course, this my country, also very nice, it's very dirty, I like also the people here, yah that's all.

STREETBUZZ: Can you both describe what it's been like to be married to somebody from a country that's very different from yours? The first word I think about is "difficult!" True?

ERNST LEUTHNER: Yes, it's true. They are different, than a woman from Europe. It's like they're much more emotional, feelings, so you must learn how to live with this kind of relationship. I think it has good benefits and bad benefits. Good benefit is that you can get a very young woman even you're an old guy. The bad is when the time comes and you cannot shake them any more (you know, in the bed, the sex), I don't know what will happen (laughs.)
Culture differences? Yah, but I think this is also, Erma is still very young, she was coming to Austria when she was 19. And I think she can adjust to the different culture pretty good. But of course she got hurt many times, from me or other people, because we just said something we didn't know it's wrong, but for her, it was pain and she cried, and that's part of the different culture.
For me? It's sometimes even harder because I tried to understand her, and because she is so young, I must also handle her life. And that puts a lot of pressure on me. So I must have the right way of handling her, sometimes I let her try to do her own things, and sometimes I tell her what she must do. Yes, I'm the boss, because of my experience. It would be wrong if a twenty-two year old girl tells a forty-one year old man how he has to run his life. But still it's important for me that she learns living her own life.

ERMA LEUTHNER: No, it's not easy. Yah, he is different culture, and I'm also here, you know different culture. Yeah, we was married in Austria. In the first night, I was so very depressed. Because we did not have a honeymoon, he was just laying down, like a, just no sweet, you know two couple when they marry is a big honeymoon, it was very different from what, you know.
(So then you're already married. Then what?)
At first I just stayed in the apartment, Ernst went to work. All day learning German, by myself. And then in eight months later I have to start working. And that's was very very difficult for me. Because my German wasn't really good, I cannot understand what the people tell me, the language is the big problem for me. If you cannot speak German very good, you cannot find a very good job.
Then after three months working I went to school for studying German. It was very difficult, for me the German language is the most difficult language in the world. Very difficult to read, difficult to speak, difficult to understand. But I think that someday it comes that I speak perfect German. The German language is my key.
Marriage? You're married it's very different thing than you're single, you're married not free anymore, you can't do what you want. But in the other side, it's nice if you have a partner in your life. For example if you have a problem, we share our problem, even it's difficult...
Ernst being the boss? For me it's OK, here actually the husband is always the boss in Philippines, for me it's no problem he's the boss. Yes sometimes I disagree, but I try, because some things I think it's not, uhh, I want that he's agreeing to my idea, but it's not possible. I must accept, 'cuz maybe his idea is good than my idea, 'cuz he has a lot of experience, so it's OK that he don't agree, but I try to that he agree to my idea...

STREETBUZZ: What's it like when you come back to the Philippines ?

ERMA LEUTHNER: What is my feelings? Oh my god, this is the Philippines, I am very shocking, it is very dirty, and very crowded, and the pollution, it is very big difference than in Austria.
The culture difference? Yah, it's really different, the people always interviewing you, so they want to know about your life what is your life in the other country, they think your life is so I just sit down there in the gold, that they think, oh my god...
(You try to change their idea?)
Yeah, I said it's not true, that the life there is easy, life there for me is more difficult than here, I think. There you have to work, there if you don't have work you go down and nobody help you, but here if you don't have work you survive, but not there.
My family? He he he...my family yah they think that I yah maybe a nice life than here, but they think I just sit down there and have a lot of money, they think that I have a very very relaxing life in Austria. That way if they have problems they all come to me and I must swallow it.
Yes, especially about money: for sure if they for example if I don't marry foreigner, they will not come to me to give me their problems. When I go home everybody want to borrow money without giving back. If I say no, then they say I have a high nose. They are angry if you say no. Yes, most of them I give, so it's no problem, cuz I don't want problem. It's OK, it's mostly 50, 100, the highest is 200 pesos ($3.57 US).

STREETBUZZ: You've been helping your family with their property and house...

ERMA LEUTHNER: Yes. We've been helping them to take out the land, in the bank, and then to building a house for my parents. Yeah it's very difficult for me cuz I'm not rich, cuz I don't have a good job, where I have a lot of money, my job is 500 (Euros) in a month. But I hope that this is the last helping, now, what I have done, I hope that is last helping, I hope...

STREETBUZZ: Ernst, what is your reaction when you come back to the Philippines ?

ERNST LEUTHNER: It's always great, I like it. Philippines have many nice and sweet things to offer, if you have money. The sweetest things are the girls here. But they not more available for me, 'cuz I'm married. So I choose the mangoes, they're the second sweetest things. And then, I mean really, if you have money you can get almost everything, good things and bad things. But I think it you're a foreigner; you should not come just because of girls. Because there are many more other great things you can enjoy here. May nice places you can visit, beautiful nature, you can get the professional massage for a very cheap price, just many things. And once you are adjusted, to this country, I think it's a nice place to live.

STREETBUZZ: But how about the flipside? I know you have had many many frustrations just since you arrived in the Philippines three weeks ago?

ERNST LEUTHNER: Well, for sure, there is the money. What you must give to the family, this is one of the hardest thing. And I don't know why, but it's also more difficult with Erma. In Austria, we have a better relationship than here. And I don't know what's the reason. I would tell you for sure if I understand, but I must figure it out. Yah, thats it: money, problems with my honey...

STREETBUZZ: Tomorrow you both fly back to Austria. What's your feelings now?

ERNST LEUTHNER: A little sad, we had relaxing vacation, I love the weather here, the people most of them are friendly, you can joke with them, and so I must leave this all behind, and go back to Austria, where it's cold. And the people are unfriendly, and don't smile to you, stress, lot of stress again, so I'm not happy to go back, but I have to.

STREETBUZZ: How about having children? I know almost everybody you talked to here in the Philippines is asking why you're married already three years and no children yet. They must think either you're not physically able, or else you're some kinds of freaks?

ERNST LEUTHNER: A child in Austria is expensive. But Erma is still young. And I know she really wants a child. How can I say in English? I think it would be a mistake to let her to live a life without a child, so I understand and we keep working on it, and maybe next year...we have a baby. If it's a boy we name it Chris (laughs.)

ERMA LEUTHNER: Yes it's true that the child is expensive; I think life is not complete without a child. And I believe that if you have children, it makes the relationship strong, that's for me. But Ernst I think, you don't want baby eh? Before you tell me you don't want baby...that was before. And also before I always cry because I want to have baby, that was few years ago, but now, want to have a baby. I ask the people in Austria, what they think if you have a baby, they say it make your life happy, it's expensive but happy.

STREETBUZZ: Do you hope or plan to retire in the Philippines?

ERNST LEUTHNER: We hope it and we plan it, but who can decide what happens in 25 years?

ERMA LEUTHNER: Yah, I'm happy and, and...it's difficult to describe my feeling, but I'm happy to go back (to Austria.) Yah, because there I have my peace. But it's also difficult to live there because my family is here. It's difficult to leave my family, even they are like that, but anyway they are my family! (laughs) I love them even they are like that.

*****

A STREETBUZZ INTERVIEW

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