The exfoliation of a lifetime

so, yesterday Betty and I went to the Korean public bath house for a bit of pampering. It is not a coincidence that yesterday was also the day that I discovered the benefits of nudist life. The public bath house is exactly what you would think: a large place where people go to bathe publicly. Naturally, the men and women are separated, but I more or less spent 3 hours traipsing around in the buff. Now, for a girl who doesn't like to show much skin and who likes to keep her body to herself, this was quite the experience. I wasn't really freaked out by it, though, because the atmosphere is so natural. They have the right idea over here...let's not be ashamed of our bodies and share in the joy of bathing together. Betty and I treated ourselves to the hour and a half long massage option. It was quite...vigourous. This tiny Korean woman packed quite a wallop. First, she exfoliated me until all of my dead skin cells ran away screaming in terror. At first I thought it would be a painful experience, but after I relaxed it was quite lovely. Then came the massage. Again, it was quite vigourous. Not in anyway close to the nice relaxing massages of my past life. The bath room itself has several large tub options. There's is a large bath (and by bath I mean shallow pool) filled with green tea, one with plain hot water, one with luke warm water, a cold one and finally, a sauna room. Women and children come for a social time together. It's so close and comfortable that they even scrub eachother down. It's much like the "Red Tent" atmosphere for anyone who has read that book.

A note on body image: it is no secret that over here in Korea I am considered "full-bodied" at best. Pretty much, I'm a fat girl. It's no problem though, because many foreigners are fat over here. I will say, however that I was a bit intimidated by the thought of being in the same room, naked, with all these asians and their tiny bodies. Of course, reality hit me and I feel much better about the world. It turns out that most normal people (surprise surprise) do not have perfect bodies. I guess when you don't have the luxury of airbrushing/makeup artist/stylist following you around everywhere, you tend to look...well...human. And trust me, that has a beauty all it's own. The most beautiful thing about it was the sense of belonging, comfort and community.

As a side note, if you're a white girl in a Korean bath house you will get stared at. The only thing more shocking than seeing a waygook (foreigner) on the streets of small-town Korea is seeing one naked in a bath house.

Today I went for a hike up a mountain with Betty. It was delightful. Good exercise and good conversation...what more could a girl ask for?

Oh yeah, I randomly get Monday off this week as the students and teachers are away on a three day field trip. WOOT! Shopping here I come. This girl is getting a winter coat. It may still be fall, but at night, on a motorbike, winter it is.

my final message to you today: Get naked and feel damn good about it!!