Basically I ran into joys of language barrier this Christmas, because I didn’t think it through.
My mum is widowed and she doesn’t speak a word of English. Yet my partners parents don’t speak a word of Polish, neither does my partner. I plan to have my mum for Christmas every year, but the only person she can interact with is me. And I am the only one to translate.
It may all sound very easy and simple, but I feel like I spent all of the Christmas translating and hanging with my mum. She almost implied like Christmas Eve was me and her catering. (i am the only child)
My partner is pretty relaxed about this. But to be honest I didn’t get to spend any time with him and I felt like I had not even one day to chill over the Christmas.
On 24th me and my partner usually organise Christmas Eve, so his family and my family (which is effectively my mum, sometimes my cousin) would come along.
On 25th we go to my partners house for Christmas Dinner and of course my mum is invited too. And it would be all amazing, but she have no one to speak to, except me.
On 26th she wanted to go somewhere, so we went to Central London for Christmas lights.
On 27th again, walking in the park etc.
On 28th she wanted to visit my cousin that lives 1.5hr away. And I think it was the tip of the iceberg.
I am just so exhausted entertaining her over these Christmas. And I snapped saying I am tired and she should manage her expectations of entertainment a bit better next time, she is upset now of course.
But I just few months back I had a double jaw surgery which I am not fully healed from. And then I am constantly hungry because I am not allowed to chew yet. However, expectations are still there. If I don’t entertain her, she sits sad in the corner.
I am not really sure what can I do for the Christmas to come? I still would like to have a bit of Christmas time with my partner too. But I cannot have my mum alone for Christmas. I said my partner will have to start learning language, but I can’t expect him to learn it very well can I?