I’m trying to think of an Australian equivalent for the situation I’m in right now. What’s something that Australians REALLY like? I’m thinking sport, barbecues, beaches…probably more stuff. None of that seems really culturally ingrained like in other countries though. Like, if you said you didn’t like beaches, people might just shrug. Loads of people aren’t into sport.
Whereas in an Albjerian family, if you say you don’t like animals it’s like a thousand-year-curse on your household. Even people who don’t like animals have to pretend, because it’s THAT important.
So when I finally snapped and asked if we can’t just call someone about termite control. Dandenong has a bit of problem with white ants lately, according to the local newspapers. I had my fingers crossed that the pest control people will take care of the mound in the garden. The parents did not approve. I was given a stern talking to revolving around Kallii, the termite goddess who was personally responsible for the creation of tent pegs, back in the ‘Anima-Ren’ (Wild Days. Like, before time began or something). Oh, wow, I hope she got the rest of the day off afterwards, because that must’ve been tiring, poor thing. And that comment got me grounded.
It’s dumb though. We have a real termite problem brewing out there, and the parents are so steeped in tradition that they don’t even seem to care. So here’s me, the teenager, being the responsible one. In this, anyway. There are also those festivals where they cook up all kinds of insects, and everyone brings their dogs and cats and exotic lizards and we’re all supposed to handle them while thanking them for their acts of living. I don’t want to touch ANY of those things. I don’t want to eat bugs, and I do not want to go out to the termite mound in the garden and pay my respects with a short prayer. I’d rather be calling in the pest control people from Dandenong who can deal with it. Permanently. Forever. But I can’t, because…I’m grounded.
-Ree