Her eyes scanned from left to right. She missed me but I certainly didn’t miss her. She sat directly in front of me and she was digging. She was really digging. She was digging like there was gold. I cringed as she pulled out a yellowish-green gunk sitting on the underside of her long, narrow pinky fingernail. She rolled it into a ball and flicked it, shamelessly. Then she snorted.
As I watched, I thought, “Should I tell her politely that it’s not appropriate to be doing that in public? Should I hand her a tissue and maybe she’d get the point? Or should I continue to give this look of disgust for her to see?” In the end, I did nothing. I turned away when she looked at me. I wasn’t sure if she was embarrassed but I was. We both had the same face – yellow skin, almond eyes. This is how stereotypes are born.
But who am I to tell her what and what not to do? It’s an American taboo to pick your nose in public but maybe it’s a norm in China, just like how it’s perfectly normal to hock a loogie in the hutongs of Beijing. Cultural norms in America are no superior to norms in China. However, if I were living in a Muslim country where the cultural norm is for women to dress conservatively, I wouldn’t walk out of the house in a tank top. I understand there’s a difference between religion and hygiene, but if you willingly choose to live in a foreign culture you should at least respect its cultural norms. Right?
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I guess the only way is to keep on erasing them. But hey that’s too much of a work. He needs to...
Haha! Nice Joel!
You may think this post is funny, but it's snot.
Haha yea…we all get paranoid when we eat garlic and onion but sometimes it’s okay to live a little. I like my garlic and onion. Plus, they’re actually healthy for you.
Funny post, I like you down to life type of style.
Well, being away from self conscious America for two years, I think it is normal.
Heck, I know westerners that avoid garlic and onions, oh my gosh—bad breath. And the deodorant thing is very unhealthy. I guess that what I like about the Arab style, much more down to earth.
Great idea, thanks for this tip!
I totally agree. I think that’s a way of showing respect to the people and their culture.
I think its best to accept their way of life when living overseas. I’d expect people coming to australia to attempt to fit in and flow with our lifestyle. So it would be hypocritical of myself to expect any less of myself when I travel.
I’ll let you slide for not showering for a day but how many days do backpackers not shower for?
I always catch people on the subway doing similar things. Just a fact of life, I suppose!
Also, is it bad that I didn’t shower today? In my defense, I’m just practicing for the backpacking “culture.”
LMAO! To fling or not to fling…hmm…that is a very tough one. I’d definitely fling. It’s just a natural girl reflex to want to get gross stuff off me.
It’s one of those universal laws. People always catch you doing something you’re not suppose to do in public even though you think you got away with it. Like when you pick your nose or fix your wedgie. Someone sees. Someone always sees.
Yes, there seems to be some weird magnetic attraction between my eyes and a person’s finger in their nose. I’ll turn my head but my eyes won’t move with it. So strange!
To pick or not to pick is always a difficult question, I face a similar one often (to fling or not to fling, poo that is). I think you made the best choice, that is unless she ended up being your waitress later on that day. “Madam, there is a boogie in my soup”
Do people really look when they catch you picking your nose? Geez, I better be more careful
I don’t know if I’d tell her NOT to pick her nose in public. LOL. I guess when you want something out, you’ll find a way to get it out, no matter where you’re at.
Still, when you see people picking their noses in public, you can’t help but look, right? (I know I do!)