Them

"Oh, what a noisy little toy," said my mother in law as she critically inspected the new singing radio my son has been playing with for the past hour."Where did you get it?"
"My mother sent it over."
"Oh. Them."
Them. As if they were aliens from outer space.
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Them. Coming from a culture where fourth cousins once removed are considered extended family, I find it endlessly curious that my German family has never met my Filipino family, and never the twain shall meet. They don't even speak the same language. While my family speaks English, Thomas's family, except for Thomas and his oldest brother, doesn't. That they don't even consider themselves related boggles my mind. My German family may visit the Philippines, but don't like the USA, being the good GDR relics they are. But they don't consider my relatives in the US as their relatives.

Ok, My paternal side of the family don't exactly get along or associate with the maternal side, but still, they know each other. Sometimes I fantasize what would happen if my brother in law meets my brother. They were born in the same year, but they couldn't be any more different. This disconnect makes me think, does six degrees of separation really apply here? Because these are two completely different worlds. I have managed to adjust to life in Germany. How will they find the Filipino life? Do they even think that they are somehow related to my kin?
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Anyway, I've been thinking about this lately because my mother in law is taking my son and Thomas on holiday without me. She is paying for them both. I am fine with this, though I have a feeling that Mother and son kind of feel a bit guilty not taking me along. Thomas said that it is only fair, since I have spent two months of last year visiting my family without him. Fair enough.

While I am grateful that I will get a week's worth of a good night's sleep after 14 months, A part of me wonders if I am considered family. Or am I as expendable as my side, easily pushed out of their minds?