Now this year, two other events are crossing my path at exactly that same day. First, there's a radio-workshop at the BNN broadcasting company. I've already cancelled that, because the family-day had already been planned. Pity, but hey, no big deal. But then there's also Laurie Marker's lecture, the founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund who's only in the country for one day. The person at whose headquarters I might be doing a month of volunteerwork next year. I was offered the opportunity to join her for dinner before the lecture, I let that pass. Which just leaves the lecture. It starts at 8pm at a location 200 km away from my aunt's house. So if I leave the family day at 6pm I could easily make it. And now dad's pissed off that I want to leave during the BBQ. Yes, dad, I know that family is important and that we only get to see each other once a year. That's why I'm going to the family day. But is it so hard to understand that some other things can also be important to me? Why does it make me a bad familymember if I don't stay until the end of the night?
I'm sure we'll get into a verbal fight over this when my parents are coming over this Sunday.