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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder why the fuck I agreed to visit DH's parents again!

259 replies

HeyNa · 07/08/2012 13:56

We are in Eastern Europe. It is 40C in the day and 35C at night. No wind, no air con. We have 4 Dcs and DH reverts to the ignorant sexist pig that most of his countrymen are aslmost as soon as we arrive in the country!

It is too hot to sit around the in-laws house (they expect me to constantly clean and make chai anyway), we have a 2 year old and we need to go somewhere where there is air con as we had planned, but he has buggered off with his cousins without a word to me. No idea when he will be back. All he does while here is sit on his arse drinking chai and jibber jabbing away with his numerous relatives, leaving all the cleaning, cooking and washing to me. The electricity goes off constantly so it can take all day to do one load of washing.

I can drive but I am terrified of driving here as they drive like maniacs and on the wrong side of the road to boot! The older Dcs have not had lunch as there is nothing in. I feel absolutely trapped and powerless. I do not speak fluently in his language so can't join in with conversations and I can't get a word in edgeways. He has been ignoring me.

I would like to smash DH's teeth in actually. This is not a holiday for me or the DCs. This is our 3rd time here and he promised this would not happen again. At home, he helps a lot and I wear the trousers if you will. I will never come here again. I am even thinking divorce would be a better option. AIBU?

OP posts:
yellowraincoat · 07/08/2012 15:41

Yeah jibber jabber isn't really a nice thing to say, I didn't notice that in your OP.

The language barrier definitely isn't the problem, the problem is the sexism of the husband's family.

Guitargirl · 07/08/2012 15:43

I was going to guess Kosovo, not too far off!

To be honest, I think I would just grit my teeth and put up with it as long as visits are very few and far between.

Your DH might not want to lose face with his family which is why he is 'reverting to type' while you are there.

As long as he is not doing this in your own home then rant away on here and schedule another visit for - um - 2015....??

JennerOSity · 07/08/2012 15:44

I suspect the jibberjabber remark is the product of all the resentment and anger OP is brewing - in her situation the most even-handed serene buddha-like person might use an insult or two. Grin

MollyMurphy · 07/08/2012 15:44

Hmmm....I was going to say Rural Greece too or maybe Bulgaria? god, you drove - Could you get chepo EasyJet tickets home? 2 weeks! How are the kids doing?

yellowraincoat · 07/08/2012 15:49

The OP said it was Albania, already.

ScrambledSmegs · 07/08/2012 16:06

How long does it take to drive to Albania? OP must be shattered, as well as angry. Not a good combination.

I did see the 'jibber-jabber' comment but assumed it was made out of extreme frustration.

JennerOSity · 07/08/2012 16:15
squoosh · 07/08/2012 16:24

Is jibber jabber offensive? I assumed she was using it to describe her husband talking about inconquesential matters whilst she was obliged to cook and clean. She says she speaks some Albanian, just isn't fluent.

futureunknown · 07/08/2012 16:32

You drove to Albania? Shock

JennerOSity · 07/08/2012 16:36

Squoosh can be, not necessarily I don't think. Can be used to mockingly describe foreign speech not understood. Also can be used to describe pointless chitchat too though.

JennerOSity · 07/08/2012 16:37

Wickipedia says:

Jibber-jabber: the phrase made famous by actor Mr. T. Jibber-jabber is a noun that refers to either; long-winded dialogue full of rhetoric or a line of conversation that one participant no longer wishes to follow.

Jibber-jabber can be a synonym for 'bullshit' (slang) or 'nonsense'.

Most regular usages by Mr. T are;
"Quit yo jibber-jabber."
"I got no time for the jibber-jabber"

Is OP Mr T?

Grin
puds11 · 07/08/2012 16:39

Doesn't really sound like a holiday op more like a helliday

HeyNa · 07/08/2012 16:43

I cannot go, much as I can't stand him right now, I cannot just leave.

He has said it is my fault that I cannot 'cope' and next time I can fuck off and he will just take the DCs. He can dream on!

I would defy anyone to have 'fun' in this dusty heat being surrounded by flies, cleaning, cooking and washing with power outages, nowhere to go (it is actually Kosovo - did'nt want to out myself) because everything has been destroyed by a war and there are still landmines about. The SIL are horrid, hardly say 2 words to me, we have never been close in the 18 years I have been with DH. He married outside and that is what I am. They like to 'teach' me how they live over there and bitch behind my back.

The 'jibber jabber' comment refers to them talking loudly and animatedly about something which seems important and which actually is'nt. This can go on for hours. They are usually talking about some neighbours car or new TV!

Ahh well, I did say last time, I would not be back. There is no way I will change my mind after this. Hope it passes quickly.

OP posts:
HeyNa · 07/08/2012 16:46

Yes we drove and it was perfectly fine. Saw some beautiful scenery until we got here Hmm.

OP posts:
yellowraincoat · 07/08/2012 16:46

Why can't you just leave?

HeyNa · 07/08/2012 16:51

I can't do that to him. It would be over the village like wildfire. He is the 2nd son and his older brother is a knob. I can't embarass him in front of him.

OP posts:
oranges · 07/08/2012 16:51

look. from another point of view. this is his home. he visits very occassionally. the country is recovering from a war - the people have to live with power outages all the time. its little wonder they have no sympathy to you complaining about it. if you are not going to leave, you need to seize the initiative some other way. can you ask them to get you a driver who can take you somewhere for a morning? suggest he take at least some of the children with him when he goes out. say you are writing a blog or a book and are just too busy to cook and clean. they can't physically drag you around and make you do housework can they? I am totally sympathetic to how crap it must be for you. just trying to suggest ways of making the next weeks passable. don't get into a slanging match about his country.

NarkedRaspberry · 07/08/2012 16:51

There are still hotels. Stay in one and then you'll have peace, aircon and a laundry service.

shesariver · 07/08/2012 16:53

I cannot just leave.

Why not?

JennerOSity · 07/08/2012 16:55

He made promises to you he has broken and is blaming you for being unhappy about that. Not sure I'd be saving him from embarrassment in that situation.

He could at least give you a quick hug in private and agree its tough and thank you for putting a front on for his sake!

Even if he was embarrassed he isn't there often so it'd hardly ruin his life would it!

amybelle1990 · 07/08/2012 16:55

Go home. You're worth more then that and so are the kids.

yellowraincoat · 07/08/2012 16:59

To be honest, I think it is off to slag off the stuff that is wrong with the country, power cuts etc. There's nothing they can do about that and I'm sure it pisses them off too.

I don't see why you can't leave though. He promised he wouldn't treat you like shit. He is doing so anyway. It sounds like you don't have much self-respect because if you did you wouldn't be cleaning up and running around after him.

amybelle1990 · 07/08/2012 16:59

It sounds like you've been embarrassed by him through his behaviour :S

NarkedRaspberry · 07/08/2012 16:59

If you buy in to all that then you have to live with the consequences. He would 'lose face' by treating you as an equal too, which is why he's treating you as a skivvy.

lolaflores · 07/08/2012 17:06

Well, according to my ex. I constantly embarrassed him, just because I wasn't the same as the rest. In the end I did what I had to do cos there was no winning.
Why should his discomfort be put before everyone elses? I understand the loyalty element but come on? Enough.