There are four people in my family: my father, mother, younger sister and me. My family has many taboos like not to drink too much, not to come back home late after school, not to talk too long over the telephone, not to sleep out and so on. These taboos were made by my parents. They seem to think that many taboos help their children, and these are good for protecting their children against the bad environment.
        The most important of the many taboos in my family is not to sleep out. When I break other taboos, besides not to sleep out, my parents just warn me calmly. But when I break that most important taboo, my parents scold me very hard and they ground me for a week. I have to stay home after school. At that time, I feel that my home is like a jail.
        Since I entered my university, I have broken the taboo two times. The first time I broke it when I was drunk as a skunk and I slept in my friend's home near my school. When I came back home the next day, my parents acted like they didn't want to see me. My father was awfully angry, but he tried to forgive me, because it was the first time that I broke the important taboo. He just stared at me. However, my mother scolded me very hard. "How could you do that?" she shouted at me. "You aren't a good daughter, are you? Why did you make me worry about you? Don't you know that I can't sleep until you come back home?"
        "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm really sorry." She kept shouting at me. I could only say that I was sorry. The second time was when I visited my old friend's home and I slept there without telling my parents that I planned to sleep there. I telephoned to them late. Of course, I wanted to sleep out, but my parents disapproved of it. In spite of not getting consent from my parents, I slept in my friend's home. The next day, I was punished severely. That time, my father didn't forgive me. So, he gave me a stronger punishment than the first time. I had to stay in my room for two days, and I couldn't get in touch with my friends. My mother was angry as she was the first time. My parents took my feedom away from me as my punishment.
        I hate that I can't sleep out any place, whether the place is safe or not. I'm 21 years old and I'm a university student. I think that I have enough ability to take care of myself. But my parents do not believe me. Especially, they are awfully concerned about me, because I'm a daughter. If I were their son, I don't think they would be so concerned about me like that time. But I am a woman.
        Sometimes, I would like to get drunk with my friends and enjoy drunken delights. And sometimes, I want to talk with my friends in their homes all through the night. I'm sick and tired of my parents' worrying and our big family taboo. I want to be free sometimes and enjoy my life in my school, because sometimes I want to have a chance to drink with my classmates for relationship and joy between me and them. However, I do not expect to have the freedom without bearing the responsibility, too. I merely don't accept the taboo unconditionally.
        I'm going to talk about this problem with my parents. I want my parents to understand about me and my school life. I hope that they will understand me if I explain my feelings to them seriously. I will tell them that I'm not a child anymore, and I can really take care of myself. My parents and I haven't had a chance to talk about this problem before. We need some time to talk together. I have always just thought and complained about the taboo to myself. Because I was afraid that my parents would be angry at me, I couldn't talk about the problem. Now is the time to tell my thought about the big taboo to my parents as a grown-up person. I will not avoid the problem by just thinking and complaining about it any longer. But I will confront my parents and insist that we find a solution together.