- Joined
- Nov 25, 2007
- Messages
- 9,295
Parents are confused THROUGHOUT their kids' time at academies.
My mom, who loved that I was at the Coast Guard Academy, had no idea that 1. I had a rank (even if it was low) and 2. was in the military.
This became particularly problematic going through Canadian customs in Victoria, B.C. I was on a ship my senior summer in Port Angeles, Wa. and had been to Victoria a few weeks earlier with a classmate of mine. My parents were in town to visit and decided we should to to Victoria for the weekend.
When asked if we had been there before my parents said no, and I said yes. When asked why, I said I was in the military and stationed on a ship in Port Angeles for the summer.
My mom immediate replied (all in front of the Canadian customs officer) "No he's NOT! He's a student."
Well, that made for a bumpy ride, as I explained how confused she was.... but we laugh about it today (and way later the day it happened).
I was an officer for five years, and I'm pretty sure my mom was never really sure what my rank was. She had an idea what I did, and she and my dad were proud, but some things about it just confused her.
This happens to parents ALL THE TIME.... once you're "experienced" in this odd world, you pick up on it, but parents rarely realize if they're wrong or not.... and honestly the ins and outs of it are pretty confusing.
My mom, who loved that I was at the Coast Guard Academy, had no idea that 1. I had a rank (even if it was low) and 2. was in the military.
This became particularly problematic going through Canadian customs in Victoria, B.C. I was on a ship my senior summer in Port Angeles, Wa. and had been to Victoria a few weeks earlier with a classmate of mine. My parents were in town to visit and decided we should to to Victoria for the weekend.
When asked if we had been there before my parents said no, and I said yes. When asked why, I said I was in the military and stationed on a ship in Port Angeles for the summer.
My mom immediate replied (all in front of the Canadian customs officer) "No he's NOT! He's a student."
Well, that made for a bumpy ride, as I explained how confused she was.... but we laugh about it today (and way later the day it happened).
I was an officer for five years, and I'm pretty sure my mom was never really sure what my rank was. She had an idea what I did, and she and my dad were proud, but some things about it just confused her.
This happens to parents ALL THE TIME.... once you're "experienced" in this odd world, you pick up on it, but parents rarely realize if they're wrong or not.... and honestly the ins and outs of it are pretty confusing.