Comments on: Body image and culture: My watermelon butt http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/ travel culture worldwide Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kwangjoo http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-94468 Kwangjoo Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:32:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-94468 This is a really great article. Living in South Korea can sometimes get rough when it comes to the weight issue. The women here are unbelievably thin. I am not considered overweight by Western standards, but here, I cannot even find a pair of jeans above US size 4. It's intense. Lucky for me they consider my face to be extraordinarily beautiful, otherwise I would feel like trash every day of my life. But they do make a point of ensuring that I know that they only think it is my face that is beautiful and not the rest of me. I have been told, "You so beautiful. You look movie star, but this (*touches belly*), not good!"  This is a really great article. Living in South Korea can sometimes get rough when it comes to the weight issue. The women here are unbelievably thin. I am not considered overweight by Western standards, but here, I cannot even find a pair of jeans above US size 4. It’s intense. Lucky for me they consider my face to be extraordinarily beautiful, otherwise I would feel like trash every day of my life. But they do make a point of ensuring that I know that they only think it is my face that is beautiful and not the rest of me. I have been told, “You so beautiful. You look movie star, but this (*touches belly*), not good!” 

]]> By: Kwangjoo http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-94469 Kwangjoo Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:32:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-94469 This is a really great article. Living in South Korea can sometimes get rough when it comes to the weight issue. The women here are unbelievably thin. I am not considered overweight by Western standards, but here, I cannot even find a pair of jeans above US size 4. It's intense. Lucky for me they consider my face to be extraordinarily beautiful, otherwise I would feel like trash every day of my life. But they do make a point of ensuring that I know that they only think it is my face that is beautiful and not the rest of me. I have been told, "You so beautiful. You look movie star, but this (*touches belly*), not good!"  This is a really great article. Living in South Korea can sometimes get rough when it comes to the weight issue. The women here are unbelievably thin. I am not considered overweight by Western standards, but here, I cannot even find a pair of jeans above US size 4. It’s intense. Lucky for me they consider my face to be extraordinarily beautiful, otherwise I would feel like trash every day of my life. But they do make a point of ensuring that I know that they only think it is my face that is beautiful and not the rest of me. I have been told, “You so beautiful. You look movie star, but this (*touches belly*), not good!” 

]]> By: Kwangjoo http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-94470 Kwangjoo Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:32:00 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-94470 This is a really great article. Living in South Korea can sometimes get rough when it comes to the weight issue. The women here are unbelievably thin. I am not considered overweight by Western standards, but here, I cannot even find a pair of jeans above US size 4. It's intense. Lucky for me they consider my face to be extraordinarily beautiful, otherwise I would feel like trash every day of my life. But they do make a point of ensuring that I know that they only think it is my face that is beautiful and not the rest of me. I have been told, "You so beautiful. You look movie star, but this (*touches belly*), not good!"  This is a really great article. Living in South Korea can sometimes get rough when it comes to the weight issue. The women here are unbelievably thin. I am not considered overweight by Western standards, but here, I cannot even find a pair of jeans above US size 4. It’s intense. Lucky for me they consider my face to be extraordinarily beautiful, otherwise I would feel like trash every day of my life. But they do make a point of ensuring that I know that they only think it is my face that is beautiful and not the rest of me. I have been told, “You so beautiful. You look movie star, but this (*touches belly*), not good!” 

]]> By: Celina http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-74825 Celina Sat, 07 May 2011 15:31:35 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-74825 I also am tall, thin (although not as thin as you : ) and have a juicy butt. A girl I work with, with a similar shape, went to Jamaica, and one of the guides said with much appreciation, “You build like a lobster!” She asked to him to explain. “All your meat’s in the tail.” I loved that! I also am tall, thin (although not as thin as you : ) and have a juicy butt.
A girl I work with, with a similar shape, went to Jamaica, and one of the guides said with much appreciation, “You build like a lobster!” She asked to him to explain. “All your meat’s in the tail.” I loved that!

]]> By: Conner http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-41206 Conner Fri, 14 Jan 2011 00:44:30 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-41206 Fantastic post and quite thought provoking. Here in Cuba, I was pleasantly surprised to find an "ass" culture rather than a "tits" culture (not that Im doing well on either count, but I'm a little better off in the rear!) Funny too - when I come back from trips abroad every last Cuban friend and family member says - ay! you got fat. which is one of the highest compliments here since fat=healthy. I let it roll of my NY gringa back, but after I returned from a month in post-quake Haiti and people were saying how "filled out" and healthy I looked I stopped paying attention. these people are loco! Also, my husband once said to my sister: hey fatty, looking good! I had to take him aside, obviously. Your writing is a joy to read - kinda rare in the blog o sphere. keep it up! Fantastic post and quite thought provoking. Here in Cuba, I was pleasantly surprised to find an “ass” culture rather than a “tits” culture (not that Im doing well on either count, but I’m a little better off in the rear!)

Funny too – when I come back from trips abroad every last Cuban friend and family member says – ay! you got fat. which is one of the highest compliments here since fat=healthy. I let it roll of my NY gringa back, but after I returned from a month in post-quake Haiti and people were saying how “filled out” and healthy I looked I stopped paying attention. these people are loco!

Also, my husband once said to my sister: hey fatty, looking good! I had to take him aside, obviously.

Your writing is a joy to read – kinda rare in the blog o sphere. keep it up!

]]> By: 5 Things Living Abroad Has Taught Me About Being Canadian http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-39737 5 Things Living Abroad Has Taught Me About Being Canadian Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:36:12 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-39737 [...] other countries I’ve heard people being described in adjectives so honest they make me flinch; fat, frizzy-haired, ugly, crippled. I used to cry a little inside on my East [...] [...] other countries I’ve heard people being described in adjectives so honest they make me flinch; fat, frizzy-haired, ugly, crippled. I used to cry a little inside on my East [...]

]]> By: HyderabadChick http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-39491 HyderabadChick Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:02:37 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-39491 Honestly - to me - those comments smack of "take the westerner down a peg or two" I usually just say "Thank you so much for that advice, ma'am!" along with a toothy smile. Honestly – to me – those comments smack of “take the westerner down a peg or two”

I usually just say “Thank you so much for that advice, ma’am!” along with a toothy smile.

]]> By: Heather Carreiro http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-39534 Heather Carreiro Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:14:57 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-39534 In Pakistan, my friend's landlord told her she needed to start exercising to "reduce her hips" so that she could find a husband! The one I got most often was "You are looking so weak - you need to eat more meat." In Pakistan, my friend’s landlord told her she needed to start exercising to “reduce her hips” so that she could find a husband!

The one I got most often was “You are looking so weak – you need to eat more meat.”

]]> By: HyderabadChick http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-39533 HyderabadChick Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:58:13 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-39533 Out here in India, I'm regularly called fat by both men and women. And no, in the circles as a employee here, it's not the compliment that western people make it out to be. Many will be happy to know they won't be hampered by any pesky PC in India. Hollywood/bollywood standards of attractiveness are very much in sway in larger cities. Rural areas may be more tolerant of larger sizes but skin color preferences will overshadow other physique standards. A woman that I had just met explained to me "you should exercise regularly to reduce." Out here in India, I’m regularly called fat by both men and women. And no, in the circles as a employee here, it’s not the compliment that western people make it out to be. Many will be happy to know they won’t be hampered by any pesky PC in India.

Hollywood/bollywood standards of attractiveness are very much in sway in larger cities. Rural areas may be more tolerant of larger sizes but skin color preferences will overshadow other physique standards.

A woman that I had just met explained to me “you should exercise regularly to reduce.”

]]> By: EvaSandoval http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/body-image-and-culture-my-watermelon-butt/#comment-39397 EvaSandoval Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:50:08 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=4110#comment-39397 Such a great piece! After 27 years in the United States, 2 in Japan, and 1 in Ireland, my body image is completely destroyed. I am 4'11" and weigh around 95 pounds. I take an XS or a 0. In the US, I'm child-size. I grew up thinking there was something wrong with me because my friends said there was. In Japan, I was average height for the first time in my life... but I wore a LARGE in pants? What? Large? Me? Were they kidding? How much rice had I eaten, anyway? I was felt up regularly by young students, and their parents remarked on my curves. In Ireland, I was back to being small, but it bothered me a lot less after being "average height" in Japan. Now I'm living in Italy, and I feel a little scrawny. But my relatives assure me that I'm "just right." Am I? It all depends on where you live, I suppose. Such a great piece! After 27 years in the United States, 2 in Japan, and 1 in Ireland, my body image is completely destroyed.

I am 4’11″ and weigh around 95 pounds. I take an XS or a 0.

In the US, I’m child-size. I grew up thinking there was something wrong with me because my friends said there was.

In Japan, I was average height for the first time in my life… but I wore a LARGE in pants? What? Large? Me? Were they kidding? How much rice had I eaten, anyway? I was felt up regularly by young students, and their parents remarked on my curves.

In Ireland, I was back to being small, but it bothered me a lot less after being “average height” in Japan.

Now I’m living in Italy, and I feel a little scrawny. But my relatives assure me that I’m “just right.” Am I? It all depends on where you live, I suppose.

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