Nihon Quirks Part 2
Fear of the Sun: It appears that once women here get out of high school, they develop what seems to be a severe fear of the sun! Well, not fear exactly, but they are obsessed with NOT getting tan! (The women in my town, anyway) Even when it was so hot outside that merely walking outside made me break out in a sweat, these women were wearing long sleeve shirts AND PANTS!!! PANTS! They also have these weird sleeve-like things that they put on the handle bars of their bikes. It's difficult to explain, so I'll try to take a picture sometime, but they are like stiff sleeves that they use to protect their arms from the sun. It's very strange! They also have a helluva lot of skin whitening creams here. You can buy anything from sunscreen to regular lotion with additional Whitening Action! It's so strange. I wonder it it's just a country thing... I shall have to stake out the city soon and keep an eye out for bikes with sleeves!
Squatting: I've already introduced you to the wonders of the "squatty potty," right? Well, I think that they developed that strange contraption because most of the people here squat all the time. When they are cooking, (yakiniku anyway, aka bbq) playing, or simply waiting for their turn to do something, they almost immediately get into the squat! It's next to impossible for me to get into the same position because I'm just not flexible that way... and it's killer on the knees! (Here's the image: feet remain flat on the ground after you hunker down. It's really difficult, try it!) Anyway, this means that the squatties are easy for the natives to use... plus I think they get a good chuckle out of us silly gaijin making fools of ourselves in the powder room!
OK, that's all for now. I know that I had some more quirks but I'm incredibly tired and my brain isn't working. When I think of 'em, I'll add 'em!
Fear of the Sun: It appears that once women here get out of high school, they develop what seems to be a severe fear of the sun! Well, not fear exactly, but they are obsessed with NOT getting tan! (The women in my town, anyway) Even when it was so hot outside that merely walking outside made me break out in a sweat, these women were wearing long sleeve shirts AND PANTS!!! PANTS! They also have these weird sleeve-like things that they put on the handle bars of their bikes. It's difficult to explain, so I'll try to take a picture sometime, but they are like stiff sleeves that they use to protect their arms from the sun. It's very strange! They also have a helluva lot of skin whitening creams here. You can buy anything from sunscreen to regular lotion with additional Whitening Action! It's so strange. I wonder it it's just a country thing... I shall have to stake out the city soon and keep an eye out for bikes with sleeves!
Squatting: I've already introduced you to the wonders of the "squatty potty," right? Well, I think that they developed that strange contraption because most of the people here squat all the time. When they are cooking, (yakiniku anyway, aka bbq) playing, or simply waiting for their turn to do something, they almost immediately get into the squat! It's next to impossible for me to get into the same position because I'm just not flexible that way... and it's killer on the knees! (Here's the image: feet remain flat on the ground after you hunker down. It's really difficult, try it!) Anyway, this means that the squatties are easy for the natives to use... plus I think they get a good chuckle out of us silly gaijin making fools of ourselves in the powder room!
OK, that's all for now. I know that I had some more quirks but I'm incredibly tired and my brain isn't working. When I think of 'em, I'll add 'em!
posted by VW | 9:28 PM
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