i'm just a girl...

Vaya! There are some things about living here which I have a harder time with than others. Example: in English speaking countries we generally don't mention other's imperfections. It's considered rude. In Asia it's just normal and anything out of the ordinary (apparently) should be pointed out and discussed for no reason that I can see.

Now, if I ask someone's opinion and they tell me honestly, even if I don't like the answer I figure it's my fault for asking. If, however, they just suddenly volunteer information that is personal and rather insulting (to my ears) I figure they deserve whatever reaction they get.

My hair, my clothes, my skin (especially after holiday- temperature and climate changes wreak havoc), if I smoke (I only have the occasional cigarette), and now my weight all seem to be open season, especially if someone doesn't like them. The last one blew me away. I may not be skinny, but I am slim but a little curvy (and there my actually curvy friends will disagree with me). I am generally the smallest size in the store unless they cater to skeletons in which case I'm a small and not the x-tra small. Since coming here I think I have put on about 2 kilos. Not quite 5 pounds. All of my clothes still fit just fine, and that's my personal measure. One night at the bar, I said "Hello, how are you?" and the barman volunteered, "You know, when you came here, you were skinny and nice, but now I think you are a little bit fat." I just laughed, and laughed. Where the hell did he learn to talk to women and why does he keep talking to me?? None-the-less I have made the extra effort to exercise everyday and at least 1 of those kilos has disappeared (whether I will or no- I'm a woman and can't help the nagging in my head after someone says something like that). Speaking of which, it's time for me to go kayaking before classes.

Vaya!