h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Anyone who's been following these journals since I started will be aware I've had a less-than-ideal and my relationship with my family is fraught with difficulty. Although it used to really mess me up, I've mostly made my peace with it and created a family for myself who I really love even though I'm only related to a couple of them by blood. Still, the issue of family can crop up at the strangest times and leave me struggling.

Tonight was one of those times as in Urdu class we've moved onto the topic of families. I'm faced with a choice: do I invent a fictional family, do I talk about my actual family with key details changed or do I talk about my actual family and ask for words like 'estranged' and 'foster parent'? It's a tricky one.

I was dreading being asked to write or describe my family tree because there's so much I don't know or have forgotten. With the exception of my aunt, sister, mum, dad and brothers I haven't thought about anyone in my family for years and it's only those first two who I've thought about in any kind of positive way. I only know the name of one of my grandparents, I've completely forgotten how many aunts and uncles I have on my dad's side and I've forgotten the names of 3 or 4 aunts and/or uncles my mum's side.

We've been asked to bring in a family photo next week. I don't really have any: I've got one of me on my graduation from Uni which has most of them in, but it's also the last time I saw either of my brothers and the second-to-last time I saw my mum. The last time I saw my mum, a few months later was unpleasant. I can't even take the cowards way out and skip the class as we've got a test week after next and I don't want to miss anything. I could explain this to the teacher but then if everyone else shows something and I don't it'll be very conspicuous.

It also came up when I was having a check-up at the doctors and was asked if my parents were still alive and I had to say "I think so..."

Just interesting how things that I like consider ancient history get brought back to life.

For things like language class I think it's perfectly acceptable to make things up. I usually invent a sister to add to my brother so I get to talk about things in the feminine form, and for a picture, you could very easily just print one off the internet, or take a picture of The Simpsons.

There is no rule of Language Class that says it has to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but.

Then of course, what happens in Language Class stays in Language Class.

(and you can think yourself lucky that this week you won't be learning a Korean christmas song as some of us will be...)