My first experience with public nudity I was 17 and staying with a host family in Sweden. I took my 5 and 10 year old host siblings to the local beach, and well, when everyone's topless, you just sort of follow along. Even when you're with a 5 and 10 year old, but it's Sweden, so it's what you do.
Today I lept way past the topless beach into the local Korean public bath (jimjibang). It's my 3rd time, so I've sorted out all the shoe vs. clothes locker business and the proper sitting and shower process to not look like a dirty foreginer. This time though, my friend and I decided to get scrubs. Imagine a carpenter fiercely sanding a door, and then replace it with a Korean woman in her 60s and your leg.
They put on these oven mitt style gloves that feel like sand paper and scrub at every inch of your nakey body. And I mean every inch: armpits, bikini line, between your toes. She scrubbed super hard at my stomach, and took my hand and made me touch all the rolled up skin bits, as if you tell me, "you come back here more often."
As I laid on a table, naked ladies were on either side of me getting scrubbed. I noticed my toes pushing slightly into my scrub lady's tummy rolls. (Did I mention her work uniform is a sligthly see-through black bra and panty set?) At that moment it registered, this is one of the odder moments I've had recently, and yet living in a foreign country, it feels sorta normal.
Can you become so adaptable, that creep-o things don't bother you anymore? I'm starting to wonder.
Dipping my Toes in the Naked Comfort Zone
Written by Bessie about Korea, Republic of. Feelin' amused
12 Comments
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September 05, 2011
Christopher
I don't think we are that comfortable being naked around each other, not teenagers at least in let's say a public bathhouse. The older you get the less you care I guess and the more secure you get about things.
My mom is pretty open-minded and so am I so I guess it's true to a certain degree though not all people are like that (obviously).
Thanks!
(P.S I know it's an old post)
September 05, 2011
Kyle
Needless to say, we got over it and enjoyed our time in the public bath houses. In fact, it's one of the things we miss most about Korea (after the karaoke rooms).