Me growing up – part 1: the childhood and my family

In our social environment, there’s three things that matter the most: family, friends and (potentially) a boyfriend. Of all these three, we have the most lasting and also deepest ties of all with our family.

This is of course because we have (ideally) grown up together and our parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers and perhaps even uncles and aunties have been with us for as long as we live.

Our ancestors also gave us their genes and because of that, we are bound to look similar, act similar, have similar talents etc…

Now, I am very well aware that families and our relationship to families or even just parents differ immensely. Some parents separate and we, as sons, form close bonds with mum, or dad, or both, or even none at all.

I know people that are brought up by their uncle and aunties, some that have even been kicked out of their home because they are gay, others don't even know their real parents and are adopted.

Because of this variety, I want you to know that this story is personal. You will probably recognise a lot of yourself and your relationship with your parents, but you might also not.

I am blessed with a great pair of parents. I think they couldn't have done a better job raising me and I am so thankful of the way they have treated me over the last 26 years.

When I was born, my mum was 22 and dad was 27. That’s really young I think. I was an accident and not meant to be born, I don't know if the condom ripped or who knows what, but I wasn't meant to be born. I am still here though:)

I look at old pictures, and mum was a girl, a pretty one too! Dad had a moustache and long wavy hair (I am growing mine too at the moment, and it is exactly the same).


My village

We lived in a big house, on the second floor. On the ground floor, dad’s sister, her husband and their four children, and a big furry dog complemented the house.

I cant remember much of the time we had there, because we moved when I turned 6. I remember though, that I used to like dressing up a bit. I think that’s quite a typical early sign of the gayness. But, I loved cars. Maybe because they feared that I was a bit prissy and girly, the parents got me many little cars. And I knew them all, played with them while mum was in her knitting shop serving customers.

We used to go on holidays to Tuscany every summer, drive down with our red Toyota Celica with our tent. Swiss people, when they go on holidays, have a craving to see the sea, because there is none at home. And so we drove to the beach.

grandad and mum

In winters, we used to go to Austria, with grandad (who is Austrian) and his sister. I was everyone’s darling and wore outrageous skiing clothes, which were in fashion in the late ‘80s I suppose.

Then, when I turned 7 and went to kindergarten, we moved to our own home. Just around the block from the old two-family house, we were now to have our own home.

I don't know if mum and dad planned to have a bigger family, or if they just wanted to have their own place. In the same year, my brother was born. He was the only one who wasn't an accident because three years later, I got another brother (who wasn't planned again).

Between my two brothers and me yawns a gap of 7 respectively 10 years. This is actually quite a lot, considering I left home when I was 19 (and my youngest brother was 9). It’s difficult to build up a relationship with your brothers like when the age difference is so big and you live thousands of kilometres away from each other. But with time, that will come for sure.

My middle brother is the odd one out. He is blonde, has blue eyes and is the quiet studious type. He’s very shy, and, sadly, we don't talk so much. I am trying to change this, but again, it’s hard when you live so far apart.

My younger brother and me are closer. When I am at home, he will ask me to do lots of things with him. We go and play football, we play videogames and we even cook together sometimes. He is very chatty and liked by everyone.

Interestingly, both have had girlfriends for nearly two years, and both girlfriends are quite butch country-girls. I am a bit different in that way I suppose...:)

by, the way, I will try to find pictures I can upload when I go home this december...it should be fun to see me as a youngster:)