The Definition of Family

(Can you tell I really don't want to start studying for exams yet? >.^ )

A while ago, an acquaintance and I were talking about our homestay life experiences and I mentioned that Okaasan was still feeding me meals that were disproportionate to what I had expected them to be. “Freakin’ huge,” I believe was the term I used. Anyways, that made her start laughing so hard.

“You’re still in the guest zone,” she told me. “You’re not considered family yet.”

Hearing that bothered me because I feel that the repertoire between Okaasan and I is going pretty well. When we skyped my parents, afterword, both parents commented on how well we seemed to get along together. Okaasan does feel a little bit like my family.

So I was thinking; mulling this over. Does Okaasan feel the same way? And you know what? I think she does, despite what that acquaintance did say. Most nights, I eat dinner alone, with Okaasan perusing the mail and or newspaper in front of me because she’s had a late lunch. Every day, Okaasan packs me an obento (adorable lunch box) to take to school. She’s told me that she does this so I can save money to go to the places I want to go, instead of having to worry about fees for school and other things (let me say this: everything I do inside Japan is mostly funded by me with all of my life savings. I am very, very thankful to my family for helping me with college tuition and plane tickets, so what I do in Japan, what I buy in Japan—this is all done under the assumption that I am drawing from my own bank account. Thus, I hope to learn how to budget in the best way possible—though experience!).

And then there’s the fact that in this house, there’s only Okaasan and I. I feel that that does change the “family” dynamics quite a bit, though I have no “family” experience to rely back on. But, at least in America, there’s the whole concept of not letting someone eat alone—especially if they’re a guest. Sometimes, Okaasan won’t even sit at the table with me when I eat as she tidies up the kitchen. I don’t feel that that is proper guest etiquette even in Japan. So I’m pretty certain I’m family. It’s just so hard to gage when I’m the only other person living in the house…