Sun and Stares

Currently, I have less than 2 months to go until my return flight home.  Although I know it's so short and the time is gonna fly by, it still feels like there is a long way to go.  I know that I haven't been posting as much this semester, so I'm gonna try and do better about that these last couple months.  Since I don't have any current grand adventures to share, I thought I would share some observations/experiences I've had lately.

Staring:

When I return home to the States, I will be much more self conscious about when I'm staring at others. Taiwan, like most of Asia, is a homogenous society, so when someone comes along who looks nothing like the common set of features that most people see every day (aka me), naturally people are curious.  Long story short, I get stared at a lot.  I've grown used to it, but for some reason recently I've been getting more stares than normal it feels like.  Maybe I grew a mustache on my face that I can't see or something.  My friends here assure me that nothing new is wrong with me though.

Due to these recent stares, I was reminded that this is a lesson that I will take back to the States with me.  It is hard enough to be different as it is sometimes, but when you catch people staring at you over and over again (with children, it's no big deal-- that's understandable, but when adults are doing it....) it can drain your energy and patience very quickly.  Most people just want to be accepted, and when people stare at you... not in a "oh you're so pretty way" but in the "you look super different and you are so strange that I can't believe what I'm seeing" type of way... it can be very depressing.  It makes you feel like a spectacle or an animal on display.  Especially abroad, the stares make you once again aware that you are the "these" of the "which of these does not belong?" question.  It can make you feel very lonely.  I think sometimes we get so caught up in our own curiosity that we forget that we're also staring at someone who is probably consciously aware of multiple stares, not just ours.  Instead of staring, when I see someone who is different, I will try from now on to either 1-treat them as I would anyone else or 2- reach out to them and try to make them feel more accepted.

Personally, I've experienced both ends of these gestures from some kind people (even if they didn't' know it).  I've had people who have come up to me and asked me questions about my appearance, and I'm more than happy to answer any questions they have ("Yes, my hair is real. No, it's not a perm. Yes, my eyes are blue. Why you ask? Because my mom and dad both have blue eyes.").  But when the pointing and "look it's a foreigner" comments come out that the situation becomes harder to handle.

Staying Out of the Sun

One of America's favorite past times (that I have always struggled with) is tanning.  We love the tan skin look, especially during the summer.  Well in Asia, it's the exact opposite.  The paler, the better.  Much to my delight!  Everyone here makes comments like "wow your skin is so white!" (they technically mean pale but that's a more advanced vocabulary word).

Why is it this way?  I think it's a combination of a couple things. 1- farmers and "country folk" are usually out in the fields and sun working more, so their skin is tanner.  Thus, tan skin is seen as being poorer.  2- over glorifying western culture.  Perhaps it stemmed from wanting to seem more western or more "white."

Seriously, people go through all kinds of trouble to keep their skin out of the sun.  In 80+ degree weather, I have seen women and girls of all ages in long sleeve shirts, gloves, and extreme hats.  People use umbrellas on extremely sunny days as often as they do on rainy days.  Umbrellas even come with the advertisement that they are UV proof.

Naturally, I'm already very pale.  So I've definitely been enjoying not having to worry about people jokingly saying, "Amanda, you're so pale! You should go tan!"  With the prevalence of skin cancer now-a-days, I simply don't want to.  I've never been pressured into going tanning, but the remarks still don't feel awesome.  And I personally think I look better a little pale rather than tan.  Besides skin cancer, sun exposure can lead to premature wrinkles and signs of aging.  Seeing as I hope to keep my youthful skin for as long as possible, upon returning to the States I plan to keep and even adapt some of the techniques I've learned form the Taiwanese and stay out of the sun as much as I can.  I'm going to wear more sunscreen, do better about wearing hats outside, and maybe even bust out an umbrella now and again when I'm going to be out in the sun for a very long time.

Below are some pictures of an incredibly sunny day in Taiwan and all the umbrellas that are out...

Side note: did anyone catch my Game of Thrones reference in the title of this post?