very interesting moment to ask me something like that
my dad is a very conservative, traditional type of guy who lives in a completely different century. He’s taught me things like honesty and honour, respect and discipline. Yes, that type of guy. I’m surprised he’s not some military man, because he’d certainly fit the bill. Funilly enough, he was actually a deserter, which is one of many paradoxes in his character. Despite being a strict father, he was always pretty cool about my relatioships, and despite having a strict moral code, he is far from religious. He is also very tolerant towards people who are different, which is hard to find in his generation (or at least people who think like him).
My relationship with him had always been one of respect, though slightly distant, and antagonism at times. I never lived up to his expectations, whatever I did was never good enough for him. When I was at university I was the best student in my year, and won a scholarship. His reaction is that he assumed my university can’t be that good if I am the best student in it.
He has only admitted being proud of me twice. He never actually said the words, but by the way he supported me it was obvious. The first time was when I actually went to that other university and I had trouble with an assignment, and he called me to give me courage and wish me luck and so on. The second was recently, when amidst all sorts of troubles that I’ve been having, he was the only person that offered me full support, no matter what. Not only said it (many people did), but actually proved it every step of the way. So we’ve come a lot closer in the last few months than ever before.