Groundbreaking Developments

I have mentioned in the past that my family is not very accepting of the fact that I’m gay, living with ‘JJ’. It’s been 5 years this month that I came out to them as mentioned here. Since then, I tried to reconcile things with the most recent incident last spring. When I visited Athens with JJ in June I had invited my parents to meet JJ over a coffee and they declined. I know that the main reason they both keep their distance is my father and my mother doesn’t want to confront him. They generally never argue and try hard to maintain the same attitude over family matters. So, while my father never talks to me about personal stuff, he concentrates more on professional matters, my mother will ask about Jeff, my life, the new house, the dog etc.

Last winter when we rebuilt the roof in the house, my mother had mentioned coming to help out during the works. To be honest however, there was no need for any extra help. The builders came, finished their work, packed their mess and left. But I realised that she might need an excuse to come over and visit us. She worries about my wellbeing and an excuse like that we could work against my father or even herself.

So, now that we’re planning the next step major step on refurbishing the house, installing central gas heating, I asked for her help. Again, I don’t think that we’ll really need it. We’re planning already on how to remove the flooring where the pipes will go and how to cover, protect, the furniture. On the contrary having an extra person in the house with all the builders might be an obstacle. I believe that it will be easier for the builders for us to be out of their way, but the benefits outmatch the negatives. And the most surprising thing is that she agreed!

During mid-September, for a whole week, my mother will visit us! I’m extremely excited and terrified of the event. I don’t really need my mother’s approval for the life I've setup in London. I have the confidence that I've made the right decisions and created something that makes me so happy that I shouldn't really care. But that doesn't mean that I don’t want that approval. I want her to get along with JJ, like the house and fall in love with Penny.

Generally, for Greek standards this next step we're taking is unbelievable. The vast majority of Greek gay friends I have are deep locked in the closet. They're in hiding of their personal preferences and life, which is very sad. I have mentioned in the past that the Greek community is in general very short sighted and conservative. Forget about Mykonos and what was happening in Ancient Greece. Nowadays, the number of openly gay public figures and good role models is very limited and the common general opinion is very negative and organised religion plays a huge part in that. In a way, I'm proud of my parents and the things we've achieved, even if it has taken us some time to reach this point.

For the week that she’ll be here, I've taken the days off work. We’re not planning any holidays with JJ anyway. With all our money spent on the house, we can’t really afford them. So, I have so many extra days of holidays I really need to book, otherwise I’ll lose them. I've also booked a special Sunday brunch and ticket to a musical. I know she likes them and hoping to be thrilled when she finds out. JJ’s equally excited. He’s created a list of things we need to do to prepare the house for her arrival. He’s also trying to learn everyday Greek expressions to talk to her, even though she speaks English fluently, even if we a heavy Greek accent.

Deep down I know that it will be all fine, but at the same time I can’t help but worry a little bit.

Holidays

Where do I start? It’s been really busy the last few weeks.

First thing first, I’m on holidays next week and I really can’t wait. And I mean the kind of holidays where you really pack summer clothes, sun glasses and go to the airport to catch a flight for your destination. You must have guessed it, I’m going to Greece! I’m flying to Athens! I’m planning to see my new nephew and family. I’ll be staying over some old friends’ place for some days before JJ comes to join me the following weekend. Then, we’ll be staying in a nice hotel till we fly back the week after.

I kind of ‘spoke’ to my nephew last Sunday on Skype! He was looking at me with bewilderment. He had a hiccup, so you can say he was replying to the things I was saying. Then of course he shat himself and the communication came to an end. Rude!

I went with JJ to a baby store to buy him gifts. I assumed that my nephew must have everything for now. So, we tried to think ahead and buy him winter clothes or stuff he might use later this year. We might have gone a bit overboard and got him lots of things. But we are the weird/exotic uncles from abroad. We got him a fluffy doggy, jumpers, shoes, even a towel with a hat in one corner with bear ears! It looked so cute! That boy will be so spoilt when he grows up.

In any case I’m so excited to see some of my old friends next week. I have been living in London for years but I've always kept in touch with some people I knew even since high school, even earlier. These are friendships I believe will last a lifetime. Similarly, I’m planning on seeing my family. My parents will specifically drive to Athens to see me. OK, I admit that seeing their grandson also plays a part in their decision to come, but I hope that part of them wants to see me too.

I suggested to them that’s it time to get to know JJ as well. I thought it would be a great opportunity now. The arrival of the new member of the family is such a happy event that puts them in the right state of mind. And we could only just go for a quick coffee, even just with my mother since I know my father is the problem. But alas, they ignored the invitation. Since I had told them which days I’ll be in the town and when JJ's coming, they decided to be in Athens when he’s not there.

Although disappointing, I knew that was coming. Some old ideas and bad habits are difficult to break. What I’m thinking of doing now is inviting my mother to London, just her. She hinted at some point that she might come to help us out in the refurbishment of the house. She wouldn't leave my father alone for many days, they’re inseparable, but at least she could come for a short period of time.

New arrivals! A baby is born

Here, in my bizarre little world, lots of things happened during the last few days! I was thinking of sharing them with you in a big ‘news update’ post, but I wouldn't like to diminish their significance. So, I’ll give them to you in parts.

Part 1!
I’m an uncle!!!!

I woke up on Thursday, the 3rd of April, to see an email from my brother that his baby was born! The baby was due later this month, around the 20th, but he decided to arrive early. My sister-in-law had some minor discomfort during Wednesday evening, but not something major. So, she decided to stay in bed and rest. Around 2:20 am her water broke. So, they drove fast to the clinic and by 5 am, they had a baby! From what I know, that’s quite quick!

She and the baby boy are both healthy. He was born around 2.8 kg which is a bit small, but his appetite is quite strong and he’s doing well. Since Sunday, they went back to their place. I've talked to both of them and my parents who are in Athens to help them out. I don’t think you could keep them away anyway. I’m visiting them with JJ the beginning of May. We had booked our tickets in advance and I had in mind the original due date of the 20th. I was even told that fist babies sometimes come late anyway.


I've received a dozen of pictures which I can’t share with you, since it’s not my baby and there are child protection regulations. So, instead I’m leaving you with a picture of the baby in Roger Rabbit! Our baby is extremely adorable and cute. Believe me when I say that, I'm a totally impartial judge.

Change of habits and beliefs?

So, I went to Greece to see my parents last weekend. It was a very nice and relaxing short brake. I hadn't told my friends I'd be there, since my visit was so short and I really wanted to spend time with my parents. There was the customary abundance of food. My mother had asked me about the daily menu weeks before. And the interrogation by my father about my career was also there. We always go into that routine where he asks me about work and gives me more or less the same advice over and over again. All that lies somewhere between being annoying and sweet at the same time.

Things were different though. Since now I own a place with JJ, his name came up a few more times than normal, even by my father. Since he's more practical, he wanted to know my financial situation in general and I was asked about the expenses of its maintenance, the mortgage payments and scheduled work to the house and how they will be funded. It was nice that he showed this kind of interest. I don't talk to my father about personal stuff, but we can find some common ground and talk about practicalities and money.

My mother's the opposite. She is the one to ask me about more personal stuff. Her ways are different. She would look deep into my eyes and without blinking, she'd ask if I'm OK. It’s difficult not to laugh when she does that. I had a conversation with her about life in general one morning in the car. We agreed that each person makes his or her own choices and since I’m not harming anyone, it’s not anyone’s business about what I do with my life.

She mentioned something to me that troubled me a lot though. She was told by a common “friend” that I shouldn’t put photos on Facebook! That asshole “friend” implied that 'JJ' was featured and mentioned in my Facebook page a lot and I shouldn't be doing that! I urged my mother to tell me who that twat guy was, but she didn't. The only thing I know is that he’s around 40 years old, which makes him young enough to know better!

I realised that my parents are victims of homophobic remarks on my behalf. This is something I suspected in the past, but it was never confirmed. I should be more understanding and nice to them. I live in UK which is in general a far more accepting society! Next year after the 29th of March, marriages will be legal here. Smaller communities in Greece are not like that. Homophobia and racism is still a reality there. I live too far away from there and sometimes I forget how it is.

Overall though, it was a very nice long weekend. I spent time with my parents and talked about lots of things that brought us closer. Maybe I’m getting more mature. Maybe the fact that my parents will be grandparents (from my brother) soon, made them gain a new perspective in things. We'll see how it goes, but for the moment it’s all good.

Back from Syros

What a trip? I’m not even sure where to begin. It was simply wonderful…

The view from my wonderful hotel room

As I mentioned in the past, my brother’s wedding took place last weekend in the Greek island called Syros. Guests, including us, started to arrive a couple of days earlier. I think there were around 120 to 150 of them in total. We didn't know all of them, but it was really nice walking around the main town of the island and running into familiar faces here and there. My brother organised gatherings the nights before the wedding, where alcohol was running freely and guests got to know one another.

walking around Ermoupoli's center 

A restaurant by the 'Kini' beach 

 During the day, I stayed mostly with my parents and the closest relatives. I didn't have any guests to call my own, but I knew my brother’s friends quite well. JJ was invited to the wedding as I mentioned earlier, but we decided it would be better if he didn't turn up. It would create quite a stir and we didn't want to steal my brother’s thunder. However, I talked, mostly, to my mother about him and the plans we have for the near future.  She seems fine listening to my stories.

a common site in Ermoupoli, lot's of stairs everywhere

a local shop

So, in general, I spent my days with my parents. We would explore the island, go to the sea, have lunch next to the waves and just relax. During the evenings, I would join my brother and wife-to-be in a local bar. The discussion there was mostly about the wedding preparations. Choosing the island for their wedding was a wonderful idea. Making the preparations however, proved a little bit challenging. As in every event of that scale, making sure that everything is ready is not easy and especially in an unfamiliar small island. For example, the best man was supposed to sail to the island. However, the strong winds delayed him considerably. He almost didn't make it. There were relatives with problems in their hotel bookings and the groom was rushing the night before the wedding to sort them out. This list of issues, some trivial and some more serious, is almost endless.

Everything turned up exactly as planned though. The wedding was in a small picturesque church on a hill, overlooking the town and the bay of the island. The bride was so beautiful in her wedding dress.  The ceremony was planned for 12:30pm. Everybody was informed however, that afterwards, the reception would take place in a restaurant and a bar by the sea. So the guests changed to their bathing suits and met in the designated taverna. After a lovely lunch, we moved to the beach bar for the party.

the lovely couple exciting the church

the wedding beach bar

Alcohol was running freely and people were really enjoying themselves. They were going in and out of the sea, enjoying their drinks and dancing till late. I was of course thrown into the sea a couple of times and enjoyed lots of tequila shots with the groom, the bride and the best man. Apparently, the coldness of the sea helps you stay sober. I managed to maintain my decency and have a great time. Even my parents were dancing to the latest r&b and mainstream sounds.

Exciting things to come

• My brother’s getting married in exactly a month’s time and I simply can’t wait. For some weird, obscure reason, they decided to have the wedding in a Greek island. Nor he nor the bride-to-be has any connection to that island. It’s like they opened a map, closed their eyes and pointed into one of the hundreds of available islands. I’m not complaining though. That sounds way better than choosing the same old church in a city, any city. The ceremony will take place during midday. After that, there will be a reception in a local taverna, followed by a party at the beach bar next door. The invitation mentions informal attire and swimming trunks for the rest of the afternoon and evening! I’ll combine the wedding with seeing my family and staying for a couple of extra days on the island. It will be amazing. I now need to find something to wear. I’m going for a proper 3 pieces suit, but still, I will need something proper to wear in 35 degrees Celsius for a couple of hours. 

• Not many weeks after the wedding, mine and JJ’s long summer holidays are planned! I’m not going to comment on how much we need those and are looking forward to them. To give you an idea, JJ has in a way started packing already (almost 1.5 months in advance). I’ll tell you all about these in posts to come, definitely.

• On a very different note, the following Sunday, I have my very first 10 km run in Regent’s Park. I hope the weather by then will improve. I have been training during the last couple of months for that. It’s been going generally very well. I don’t know if I’ll manage a PB, but I don’t really care at the moment. I just want to get to the fitness level I was a couple of years ago. 

Athens first day

As previously mentioned, we went to Greece last week and specifically to Athens staying a couple of days at my brother and fiance's place. The weather was really nice and we spent lots of time wondering around and seeing the city's sights.

After my brother and his bride to be finished work, they took us to an amazing Cretan restaurant in an area called Halandri. The place was amazing and the food outstanding. Needless to say that almost each dish was some thousands calories  but who cares? We were on holidays and indulged as appropriate:

It's worth going to Crete, just for the food. Just look at my happy face!

Next morning we decided to go to the 'Cycladic Art Museum' in the area of Athens, called Kolonaki. That's a very nice area at the center with some really nice house:

 

Building in the area

The museum itself was amazing. The exhibitions were displayed over 4 floors in a very beautiful neoclassic building. There was a section on how ancient Greeks used to live, a floor on Cypriot ancient art and two floors on Cycladic ancient art dated from the 7th century BC to the 25th century.

I couldn't not take a picture of erotic ancient art 

 

Art dated around 2800 BC. First figurines were female. Something to do with mother Earth and productivity. They were found over tombs. You can see that they are really old, since they are represented without many details and motionless, standing still. It took the Greeks centuries to start making statues with features and 'motion'. 

 Ancient toys for small children. 

Holidays

I was thinking about my recent holidays in Greece and how to blog about it. I was going to separate it in two different sections, one that will focus on a personal level and the second that will focus on the national news. However, since I am still in a good mood and I don’t want to ruin it, I will not blog for the time being about Greece. Let’s just say that things are not going that well. For now the country is not making headlines but that doesn’t mean that things have progressed much.

Forgetting all about that, I’d like to concentrate more on my own holidays in Greece. If I could use just Madonna’s songs to describe it, I’d use the following:

I was so excited at first about going to Greece. I hadn’t been there since last summer and I wanted to see how my parent s and friends are doing! I still have some dear friends from my university and school years who I try to see every time I visit. I also know that my parents, besides some differences in opinion we might have, are not getting any younger and I am grateful for the time we have and spend together.

According to Greek Orthodox customs presents are exchanged on the first of January and not on Christmas day. They are brought by Saint Basil, a Saint who was famously a protector and carer of the poor and derelict. Of course the Saint’s image has been affected by the Coca-Cola red clothed white bearded Santa Claus but he still arrives on a different day. So, the first days of my holidays I spent trying to find small gifts for my relatives I would see on the New Year’s Eve feast.


That feast traditionally takes place each year in my aunt’s (my mother’s sister) great house outside the city. It starts around 9 in the evening until the early hours of the next morning. It includes large portions of food, alcohol, singing carol when the year changes, exchanging gifts, cutting the traditional New Year’s cake and then playing some board or card games. This year there were 24 of us and the meal lasted for more than 2 hours. I go there almost every year and although the family tradition does bring some warmth in my heart, I find it a bit boring. When I was younger I was very excited about the jokes said on the table, the gifts and the anticipation of the coin in the special cake. (There is a coin in the New Year’s cake and whoever gets the piece with it, is said to be lucky for the entire year.)  However, now I realise that the same jokes are said every single year and I’ve learned that the coin in the cake is a fraud. Its location is marked according to the cake decoration and is given on purpose. I am just mentioning it as an example to say that the magic is gone but fond memories still remain. That is why I still attend these gatherings.

My parents were happy I was there. My brother had visited them during Christmas and they were happy I was there the New Year’s weekend. However I feel that the distance between us in a personal level grows bigger instead of growing smaller. My father asked me the first day of my visit about my new job. We had a lengthy conversation about it but nothing else. He seemed very pleased about my progress regarding my professional life but there was nothing else to talk about. During the ten days I was there, we only made small talk and tried not to be alone in the same room. I wasn’t expecting much to be honest since I know how he can be.

What surprised me though was my mother’s behaviour. Since she doesn’t want to contradict him, she kept her distance as well. She only asked me about the new house once. The big elephant in the room was to be ignored. I tried to give her some opportunities to start a conversation but she wasn’t accepting. For example I told her a funny anecdote of my life with JJ. I told her how he’s trying to make eat more fruit that I forget to do, expecting her to be happy since she always complains that I don’t eat enough fruit. But the reaction I got wasn’t the one I expected. So, I dropped the subject and didn’t talk about it again.

In that sense the Madonna song I chose is not right. Having my father preach me would mean that he’s keeping the communication bridges open but he doesn’t. However, it’s a funny little old song which I haven’t heard in ages, so I picked that. Truth to be told I’m over feeling bad about my parents. They have their beliefs and I have mine. Probably in the future I will even stop thinking about it and simply accept the on-going situation as it is.

Anyway, I’m back in London now, back home where I am the happiest. This is how I felt when I came back:

BBQ, the South African Way…

The following pictures were taken two days ago, when ‘JJ’ organised a bbq in his back garden, for me and two of our friends. The good thing about his bizarre work schedule is that he can get weekdays off which means he can organise things like that without too much of a hassle. Knowing JJ however, I think he did stress himself to organise the perfect bbq. In a very strange way, he likes running around like crazy trying to set things up and he has a very good eye on small details that I would normally ignore.

South Africans must have a thing about bbqs. JJ shines like a star when mentioned and he’s always up for it. He’s told me that his parents have bbqs three to four times a week! They find it much easier to light a fire to grill stuff outside than cooking indoors. Probably it’s the weather. Greece shares similar warm and sunny weather but they are not that common for us. Maybe it’s the lack of space in the cities I was living in or the fact that when the weather turns warn, it gets so warm that lighting a fire is a torture. Don’t know…

The scene of the 'crime'

Chicken liver and salmon starters

Cocktails

Baby potatoes

Some boerewors (aka the farmer's sausage)

Chicken slow cooked in the oven in case it rained (always a possibility in UK)

greens

Mrs. Ball's Chutney

Looking again on these photos, I find it strange that they were taken two days ago. London saw lots of heavy rain and even hail yesterday. It was like we went straight from summer to winter in 24 hours.

While speaking to my mother yesterday, I mentioned the bbq. OK, I mentioned it more than once and at some point she got the bait. She asked me where we did it. She knows I leave in a block of flats which is very nice but it’s without outside space. So, I mentioned ‘JJ’. That was the first time ‘JJ’s name was mentioned in our casual conversations. Of course she knows about him, since she stalks me on facebook and checks my photo albums. She also knows about the trips we take together. However, we’ve never actually discussed about him and never mentioned his name.

Giving JJ a name, as silly as it may sound, changes some stuff. He’s not just a random guy I see behind their back. He suddenly gets a personality, a physical presence that he didn’t have before. Also, mentioning his name means that more conversation will follow and my mother might actually ask me about him and start accepting the truth about what’s going on. I think I dropped a small bomb on her and I’ll now have to wait to see the results…

Anyhow, have a lovely weekend! Enjoy!

Venice Calling part 2…

I’m back to London, older, wiser and happier (part 2).

Anyway, taking a glimpse of the Carnival was really nice but the rest of our holiday was amazing as well. Each morning we would take the ‘vaporetto’, which is the local water bus, to a different part of the city and we would try to walk back to the hotel, wandering the small streets, visiting places and trying local delicacies.

We visited the Guggenheim museum, a very old Gothic church, the San Marco church and the naval museum. We tried pizza with prosciutto, ravioli with salmon, bistecca, seafood, fresh fish, tiramisu and all sort of other delicacies. Needless to say that I gained 1.5 – 2 kilos while staying there apart from the miles of walking we did everyday.

On my birthday we visited ‘Murano’ which is another island in the same lagoon, famous for its glass making industry. They have a tradition of producing very good quality air blown glass ornaments. We didn’t really buy anything but the journey, watching a demonstration of how they create their goods and walking around the island was really nice. We spent the evening in Venice in a really nice jazz bar after visiting yet another wonderful restaurant.

The last evening of our trip we heard some arias as well. We booked tickets and we visited a Palazzo where the event would take place. There was a pianist and two opera singers. Taking turns, they played classical music and sang beautifully well known Italian arias. It was all very nice. We were surprised to see at the end of the performances that the piano used was a Bechstein donated by A. Hitler!

The only grey thing of the whole journey was the call I received from my father for my birthday. When he called to wish me happy birthday his tone was very serious and after telling me the typical wishes, he quickly ended the discussion by telling me to ‘put some brain in my head’ (βάλε λίγο μυαλό στο κεφάλι σου)! That’s a very Greek expression about wishing someone to start thinking straight (excuse the pun) or more maturely.

He was clearly unhappy that I was openly away with a boyfriend on vacation. That fact put an extra gravity to an issue he would like to forget. He couldn’t openly quarrel with me on the phone but wanted to make his point. I don’t think he will easily open another discussion about my homosexuality. He wouldn’t even like to acknowledge it and mention words like ‘gay’ or ‘homosexual’. I can see in my head the discussion between my parents. My father would ask my mother ‘who is Nik going on vacation with?’ and she would simply disapprovingly nod her head and reply ‘can’t you guess?’.

Of course I didn’t let this incident mess with my mood and holidays. It did annoy me a bit though. I had such a nice time and that is what I am concentrating on.

I did miss StevieB’s FIVE DEGREE meme though. When I got back everybody was finishing with it… boo… :-(

the view of the Grand Canal.

View from above from Campanile

The jazz bar had a very cute bartender and series of bras on the ceiling donated by customers.

Me, goofing around

delicious food in every corner

The Grand Canal during sunset

The gondolas of San Marco waiting for passengers

Weekend…

My brother left on Saturday. Generally we had a really nice time, especially when the two of us went shopping last Friday. We went to Westfields, the big shopping centre in west London, and we spent there our evening shopping, checking things out and having dinner. We visited shops with sports stuff, clothes, electronics and the ‘Lego’ store! We used to play a lot with Lego when we were growing up and it was fun to check the multicolour, full of bricks store. I bought for ‘JJ’ a key chain from there which I thought was really cute. My brother bought some clothes and gifts.

We did talk a bit as well. He told me that he’s happy for me since I found what I was looking for and that I did very well in setting up my life here. He added that he liked JJ a lot and that he’s expecting a visit from us in Athens. We also talked about future plans, his relationship and unfinished business with his ex wife and his current relationship. We finished our evening devouring massive burgers at ‘Byron’.

I really can’t wait to see him again… Maybe I should arrange a visit to Athens…

--------------------------------------

The next morning, I resumed my training for my half marathon which will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, in less than 6 weeks time. The organisers are sending us emails with the countdown to the event which to be honest is a bit irritating:

‘Yes, I know when I’m running!

No, I don’t want to be reminded every second day.

Yes, I know I’m not running as often as I should.

Please, leave me alone’!

I successfully managed to run three times last week but it took a toll on my leg muscles. However, ignoring the sore legs, I managed yesterday to run from ‘Temple’ station in central London to ‘Hammersmith’ station in west London following Thames. Ok, the run was a bit (very) slow and I had to stop a few times, but overall it was 9.8 miles which I finished in almost two hours. The funny bit was that it started brilliantly with a lovely sunny weather to end up with a cold rain when I was already sweaty! It’s a wonder how I am not ill today!

View Larger Map
That's my route, although there are bits of the Thames' path missing from Google Maps. I did try to follow the river as much as I could till Putney Bridge.

For my race, I need to increase my long run by 4 miles trying to keep the time more or less the same. I’m also thinking of using some recovery energy bars or powder to decrease the soreness of my legs. Do you know if it’s worth it? Do you have any advice on products? I’ve tried googling it and I have something on my mind (Lucozade Sport Recovery Powder Stick) but I’m not sure it I should go for it or not. The problem is that I need protein and some carbs, but since I’m looking to lose weight, I want to keep the calories intake to minimum…

Family matters…

My brother’s here.

The day he arrived I was teasing JJ all day long. He was of course stressed about it and I tried to calm him down by teasing him. The poor guy was studying subjects that he though might interest my brother. So, when I met him before my brother arrived, I heard the story of the ‘Wembley’ stadium, about the Greek independence war against the Turks and about sailing… These of course are not topics covered over a pint in a pub, so they didn’t come up. They were funny to listen to though.

stress

Anyway, the first night my brother arrived the five of us went to a local pub for food. We had a really nice time and as expected he liked JJ. He was very impressed by his paintings in my house as well. Yesterday we met again in Putney where we walked around, had coffee and a nice dinner. Unfortunately because of JJ’s work, he couldn’t stay late and his lack of sleep made him a bit silent during the evening. So, they didn’t really chat for long, but it was fine. We generally had a nice time. Today, he’s going to the football match and he will be back to London tomorrow.

For tomorrow, I’ve decided a night out just the two of us. I’ll take him shopping for his girlfriend and then to a nice place for dinner, maybe Mexican or Japanese (cuisines not easily found in Greece). I’ll also make him buy me something since he still owes me a long awaited and promised Christmas present. He’s the big brother after all…

That’s a picture of us (I’m on the left). I’m not going to keep it online for long. We don’t look too much alike but everybody’s saying that we have the same gestures and body language as most siblings do. I have my father’s round face and believe it or not darker complexion. He has my mother’s lighter hair and eye colour and oval face. Since I’ve been living in the Sun forgotten country called UK, I have become so pale when he still possesses a healthy looking tan all year long.