The Greek Meets The Parents

I assume for anyone going to meet his American girlfriend's family for the first time there's definitely a bit of a culture shock. And in all honesty, I didn't really make it very easy for poor Spiros. Deep end, learn to swim! But luckily he was raised in Greece and knows his way around the water! 

For starters, it was my mother's birthday while he was here. Did he show up with a huge box of amazing Greek bath products, two boxes of Godiva chocolates, and Greek Ouzo liquor? Yes. Thanks for upstaging us all. 

Then on the second evening he was here we watched Old School with my parents and grandma. Unrated version of course. "I didn't know if I should laugh, but then when I saw Dolo laughing I figured it was okay." You should know that Old School is one of her favorite movies, her favorite part being "with Will Farrell waving the hand of the blow-up doll." Classy family I have here, huh? 

And finally, the ultimate test of strength, there was the Easter egg hunt in gorilla costumes a week and a day after Easter. Because my Aunt Jeanne is the best host ever. Why gorilla costumes, you might ask. Well she and my uncle got them for donating to the Austin Gorilla Fun Run, which benefits mountain gorillas. My mom had joked pre-visit that they should wear them when we came over for dinner. Instead Jeanne thought it would be more hilarious (and less hot for her) if we wore them and surprised my mom. It worked. 

You also might be wondering, "Why the delayed Easter egg hunt?" Because people in my family have sleeping issues and when you lay awake in the middle of the night, all sorts of genius ideas come to you. I was most excited about it because I was just complaining that we miss out on lots of fun family activities since we're currently in that middle phase where we are all grown, but there are no grandchildren. I told Spiros this was completely normal and he bought it. 

We make a pretty good gorilla couple, right?

Shell shocked.

Everyone had to participate. Dolo was competitive as always.

The rest of the trip included typical Austin tour hot spots like Town Lake, Chuy's Tex-Mex, the University of Texas campus, Salt Lick, South Congress, Maudie's breakfast tacos, and walking around downtown.

He was able to meet all of my closest college friends ("They're all very nice, but you talk so fast and, you know, English isn't my mother tongue."), and he came away from it full of very sweet compliments about everyone in my family ("Your dad is so smart; your mom and your grandma are so sweet and cute.")

While it's one thing to say he had a great time, it's another thing to have already booked another trip back for Memorial Day when he's in the US for work. I just hope we have enough time to plan another round of American hazing before then.

Fingers crossed he survives so I can make it to Greece this summer to meet his (non-English speaking) family!