I’m not loud! I’m P…Portuguese… and passionate. Usually about everything that I tend to be loud about.

Before anything else, I want to qualify something. I am Portuguese – yes. I was born in Mozambique, and so were my parents. My grandparents were from Portugal. I have lived in South Africa for goodness knows how long. South Africa is my home. So to be politically correct (LOL!) am I Portuguese South African? Or a South African of Portuguese descent? I personally don’t like to be categorised – that’s too limiting. Why am I writing this post then? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I hope you enjoy it anyway…

I belong to a medium-ish sized family and when we get together things become loud. It is not very different to being part of an Italian or Greek family. Or many families for that matter, no matter what nationality. Usually these get togethers involve food, lots of food. Yummy food usually lovingly made  by my mother. My sister and I (children of Woolies) usually buy the desserts, but my sister-in-law, with equal love and pride, makes her delicious dessert contribution.

Everyone in my family usually wants to say something, normally at the same time as everyone else. And then the fun starts as voices escalate in volume to make themselves heard. Conversations happen over other conversations. With 10 people around the table, easily 4 or 5  different conversations are taking place at the same time.

I’m not loud and this can be very frustrating. Often I don’t get the chance to say much. Unless I shout. And then everyone stops in mid-sentence and looks at me as though I have gone mad. I can be loud, when talking about things I really feel passionate about.

I am passionate about freedom. And family. And shoes. And handbags. Right now I am feeling passionate about chocolate. I suddenly remember that I have a bar of 60% dark Lindt in the fridge. Um… excuse me…

(…post will remain unfinished…)