A differing of values

On a gorgeous, sunny Saturday such as this one, my first impulse is to don a tank top, shorts, flip flops, and shades, slather on some sunscreen, and head outside. I come from a city where being bronzed and blond is the thing to do, and while I have never emulated those orange-skinned peroxide blond starlets on the covers of the tabloids, I do believe that a little glow looks healthy. Not that I've ever really been able to achieve that, but no matter. I don't stop trying.

However, here it is just the opposite. Grocery stores, pharmacies, and beauty salons sell "whitening cream"--in fact, pretty much every skin product you get, whether it's a cleanser or a lotion or something, will probably advertise that it will whiten your skin as well. People don't want to be tan, they want to be pale and pink-skinned. So today, all the women on motorbikes (besides me) are in long-sleeved shirts or t-shirts with long gloves on, socks on under their sandals. Those walking around have umbrellas and big floppy hats. In short, no skin exposed.

It certainly is interesting to be a pale-skinned, pseudo-blond girl in this city. I don't care how admired my paleness is here; I'm heading outside.