"When you fall in love, you think you know someone, but it's only when you go on holiday with their family that you truly understand them. Suddenly, there's context for all their idiosyncrasies. The way they fold a newspaper, show love, and deal with airport delays. A year into our relationship, Jem and I flew to Malaysia with his parents to visit his brother. From there, we'd travel to Lombok, a nearby Indonesian island."
"In the morning, we were woken by a buzzing like a pneumatic drill. Jem strolled into the kitchen and found Henry with the blender, surrounded by open tin cans. I stood awkwardly behind Jem as he asked, "What the hell are you doing?" as Henry shrugged and replied, "The chickpeas were going off. I'm making hummus." We had less than 90 minutes before we had to leave for our flight."
Going on holiday with a partner's family reveals previously unseen aspects of a partner's character through everyday habits and family interactions. A late-night arrival in Kuala Lumpur precedes awkward introductions and sensory impressions of the city. Morning domestic scenes expose a family member's obsessive cooking—producing excessive hummus under pressure—and create tension during time-sensitive travel. New in-laws' small talk contrasts with another family member's compulsive behavior. The desire to control surfaces in emotional moments, prompting over-preparation and ritualized responses that illuminate deeper personality traits within family contexts.
Read at CN Traveller
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