外國人都是... Foreigners Are Like That...
Walking through the summer streets of L.A., you see nothing but girls in tank tops and mini skirts or shorts. In a park on a sunny day in London, men would be topless lying on the lawn enjoying a sunbath. Exposing their body and limbs doesn’t seem awkward to most westerners; on the contrary, they consider it an enjoyment and a natural thing to do.
Often open-minded, westerners tend to be best friends with nature and they are always fond of relaxing themselves in it. They consider their bodies as their own and seldom care if they are wearing too little or being exposed. They wouldn’t be embarrassed if they were topless in places such as parks or even university campuses! No wonder there are so many “nude beaches” in western countries. In western culture, the human body is a carrier of our beauty, health, and energy; consequently, westerners love to put their well-trained or tanned bodies on display whenever they get a chance. At Waikiki beach in Hawaii, you would see a lot of girls in bikinis and muscular guys. We might think western ladies are “hot” or “foxy”, but that’s just the way they are enjoying the sunshine and displaying their beauty and health.
There is a huge cultural difference between Chinese and westerners on the issue of body exposure. In summer time, a lot of Chinese would use umbrellas or wear long sleeves as a shield against the sun. Even when they are having fun on the beach, a lot of people still wear T-shirts. After all, Chinese regard exposing their bodies as an impolite gesture. We are taught to hide our bodies and beware of other’s criticism. So Chinese people often feel awkward even when faced with their own bodies. I’ve always dreamed of sunbathing on the lawns of NCU, but neither the campus nor the society is ready to take this as a “natural” thing to do. I guess I will have to do that somewhere off this island.
Walking through the summer streets of L.A., you see nothing but girls in tank tops and mini skirts or shorts. In a park on a sunny day in London, men would be topless lying on the lawn enjoying a sunbath. Exposing their body and limbs doesn’t seem awkward to most westerners; on the contrary, they consider it an enjoyment and a natural thing to do.
Often open-minded, westerners tend to be best friends with nature and they are always fond of relaxing themselves in it. They consider their bodies as their own and seldom care if they are wearing too little or being exposed. They wouldn’t be embarrassed if they were topless in places such as parks or even university campuses! No wonder there are so many “nude beaches” in western countries. In western culture, the human body is a carrier of our beauty, health, and energy; consequently, westerners love to put their well-trained or tanned bodies on display whenever they get a chance. At Waikiki beach in Hawaii, you would see a lot of girls in bikinis and muscular guys. We might think western ladies are “hot” or “foxy”, but that’s just the way they are enjoying the sunshine and displaying their beauty and health.
There is a huge cultural difference between Chinese and westerners on the issue of body exposure. In summer time, a lot of Chinese would use umbrellas or wear long sleeves as a shield against the sun. Even when they are having fun on the beach, a lot of people still wear T-shirts. After all, Chinese regard exposing their bodies as an impolite gesture. We are taught to hide our bodies and beware of other’s criticism. So Chinese people often feel awkward even when faced with their own bodies. I’ve always dreamed of sunbathing on the lawns of NCU, but neither the campus nor the society is ready to take this as a “natural” thing to do. I guess I will have to do that somewhere off this island.