Today I went to AEM, the NGO where I will work, to introduce myself to the members and let them see me before I just start coming everyday. The director, who met me the day before, introduced me a bit before I spoke. And the way she introduced me was very funny. It was in French but she said, “this is Nina she is not married and has no children.” She said more than that, but that was the opening line. It is not shocking for me, since I’m used to this, but to help you understand how important marriage and children are she was a perfect example. You are basically still a girl if you haven’t married and haven’t had a child.
Before the meeting one of the women kept asking me if I wanted to marry her son, and I’ve learned the only way out of it is to say “my father would be so mad if I married a man he didn’t know.” Usually it stops there. But today the woman said “so when is your father visiting?” then when I said he wasn’t the woman said, “ah its okay you get pregnant and you have to marry, you father would approve then.” Clearly her and I were not on the same page. I thought about telling her I have a boyfriend, but it really holds no weight. Its all about marriage and babies without them you are still available and a young girl. I am contemplating introducing myself in Sweden and the US that way to see the reaction. “Hi, my name is Nina I am not married and I have no children.”
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