ARGH.
my parents are coming to visit me for a week, and get in late tuesday night, so we arranged to meet on wednesday. i happen to be working (for free, oh well) at a banquet until 7 pm that day, and arranged things with my dad accordingly. i also tried to be the good daughter and called my parents tonight to wish them safe travels - and for my trouble, i got a sullen guilt trip from my mother about how she and my dad are travelling alllll the way across the country to see their only daughter, and that whatever i am doing during the day on wednesday must be very important indeed.
so, in addition to many more quality guilt trips, these are the things i have to look forward to this week, in order of increasing fun-ness:
ONE
telling my parents that i am scheduled to work (for pay, at a retail store, which is clearly beneath my educational level and is therefore a complete waste of my time, talent and ability) for three of the five days that they are here. because, you know, my life stops when they come to visit. [1]
TWO
telling my parents that one of my roommates moved out, effectively leaving me with one male roommate who is normal, clean, nice, and intelligent, but i'm sure they'll think he's a serial murderer/rapist/pedophile anyway, and remind me to lock my door when i sleep. [2]
THREE
introducing my parents to The Boy, who meets none (NONE) of their criteria. he is none of the following: chinese, a doctor/lawyer/teacher/engineer, or university-educated. [3]
FOUR
telling my parents that there is a distinct possibility that i will not (immediately) move back to vancouver when i'm done here. [4]
whee! can't wait!
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[1] because realistically, if i were a teacher/chemist/whatever and had a 9-5 job in some office somewhere, she would understand that i couldn't just blow off work to give them tours of parliament or lead them around museums they're not interested in seeing. however, since my mother does not - and has never - understood my motivation to pursue a culinary career, my work is clearly worthless and can be effortlessly thrown aside when she arrives.
[2] because apparently, i am also incapable of taking care of myself or judging whether or not someone is safe person to live with. the fact that my new roommate is a friend of my old roommate is meaningless, since my parents don't know any of the parties involved and - like i said before - i am incapable of judging peoples' character on my own.
[3] because the fact that he went to a snooty boarding school in england (like hogwart's, no joke - in terms of the pomp and circumstance of the place, not in terms of house-elves and magic wands) doesn't mean anything, nor the fact that he attended a prestigious music academy in london. or, for that matter, that he now goes to one of the best culinary schools in north fucking america. no, none of these fine establishments are universities, therefore making him inferior and clearly stupid and most unsuitable for their only daughter.
[4] because it's a given that i would move back to vancouver when i'm done, and completely unthinkable that i might choose to live somewhere else. because, my god, i might actually have a goddamn opinion that has nothing to do with living in the same city that my parents live in. they will, of course, attribute this decision to The Boy (see [3]) which is not an entirely crazy thought, but an incorrect one nonetheless.