Some times it's just too obvious that I'm from Iran. The other day I went to gym. After an hour of cardio I came to locker room to change. There were a few middle age ladies who seemed to be Cornell's staff and co-workers. They seemed to have a nice conversation about event that was going to happen and were talking about how cold the weather was last year and stuff like that...It was all fine with me except one small detail...Almost all of them were totally naked. I mean it was completely sensible because they just took shower after workout and were changing for work. I didn't have any problem with the idea but I couldn't imagine being naked in front of my colleagues and being the serious co-worker the next hour.
I am raised in a very serious culture. At work, people call each other only by last name. Even if they have been working for years you never call your colleague's first name at the work environment. It's not polite. Being shy, especially for girls, is a relatively good characteristic and people are by no means comfortable changing clothes in front of each other let alone taking shower and being totally naked. I used to live in dorm for four years and the most me and my close friends did in front of each other was to change our jeans to pajamas. It's just a totally different culture.
Anyway, I think it's good to be comfortable with one's body and not being so preoccupied with minor details such as being shy about showing your naked body in the gym shower. I want to practice to be more comfortable but I am not sure how long it will take me to be really comfortable.
I am raised in a very serious culture. At work, people call each other only by last name. Even if they have been working for years you never call your colleague's first name at the work environment. It's not polite. Being shy, especially for girls, is a relatively good characteristic and people are by no means comfortable changing clothes in front of each other let alone taking shower and being totally naked. I used to live in dorm for four years and the most me and my close friends did in front of each other was to change our jeans to pajamas. It's just a totally different culture.
Anyway, I think it's good to be comfortable with one's body and not being so preoccupied with minor details such as being shy about showing your naked body in the gym shower. I want to practice to be more comfortable but I am not sure how long it will take me to be really comfortable.
posted by Anar @ 11:37 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Hmmm, I was not aware of this aspect of Iranian culture. I grew up changing clothes in locker rooms. For example, I was on a swimming team in Junior High and also in High School. I didn't always have to undress in front of others, but sometimes it was necessary if the locker room was crowded. When I started college, I lived in a Fraternity house for a year (I quit the organization after that - long story). We had a community shower there. I was somewhat uncomfortable at first, but I got used to it. Sometimes we would talk in the shower, but in some ways we more or less ignored each other, or maybe I should say, we ignored the fact that we were naked. I think that women in America are probably more comfortable being naked in front of each other than men are. Male heterosexuals often tend to be at least somewhat homophobic. I think that women don't worry about that sort of thing as much as men. I agree, it is good to be comfortable with one's body.
From what you described, yes, it's very obvious that you haven't grown up here. Which is fine, but I think once in a new culture, it may be to one's advantage if they tried to assimilate better...
Interesting post. I understand what you mean Pantea. It was the same thing for me back in the States. For us Iranians, it's really not about being homophobic. It's just the way we are raised. I like to call it "Farhange Hejaab" which means "The Culture of the Veil". But I am glad to have gotten a little more comfortable about it over time, and I am sure you will too.
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