This was a legit question asked by one of my 8 year old students just last week. Do I have ‘fur on my legs?’ Well thank my lucky stars I had shaved that day. I promptly told her no, and tried to explain to her how animals have fur and humans have hair. Either she didn’t get it or she didn’t care because she scooted off her chair and under the table to feel my legs. I’d imagine how this could have looked if someone would have walked in on our one-on-one class. Unfortunately kids can be kids and they’ll do whatever the heck they want. After giving my legs a once over, she resurfaced and exclaimed, “You’re right, but my mom said Americans have fur on their legs.” Geez student’s mom, thanks.
Here’s the deal. For some reason Koreans don’t have body hair. If they do, they get it taken off ( I don’t know how though, I have yet to find a place to get my eyebrows waxed). I’ve never actually had a body hair complex until I moved here.
Before you think I’m some weird she-man gorilla, please note that I’m actually an average female back home. I have blonde hair and thus blonde/white arm hair, and it’s not that bad. I also am lucky enough to be one of those girls that only has to shave my legs every 4 days or so. See? Seriously not that hairy, or so I thought. Then I moved to Korea.
See I’m a normal person…no crazy arm hair here!
Could it be the luxury of them seeing a blonde for the first time? Could it be because I teach mostly little ones? Whatever the reason, my little students love to pet my arms AND pinch my arm hair. I’ve even had them ask me why I had it. Um I don’t know kids, I was born with it. What puzzles me even more is the fact that the kids themselves have arm hair (and black at that)! I don’t know if it falls out later, or if they start shaving it off, but why do they have to make such a big deal about mine?
My husband has had it worse-he’s part Italian. At our first school he actually was known as ‘gorilla teacher’ by his kindergarden students. Derik’s hair isn’t really that bad. I’ve never noticed him being hairier than any other American, so it’s quite surprising for myself as well! Apparently his adult students also remarked on his arm hair, because he started coming home asking if he had more than usual.
Thanks Korea, you’ve given my husband an obsession with his body hair.
Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have an obsession too. Frick.
The thing I don’t understand is how is body hair so unacceptable but it’s more than ok to have hair (that’s 4 inches long) growing from a mole on your face or elbow? I CRINGE at this. A morbid part of me wants to go tug on it, but then the other part of me kind of wants to go throw up. Someone once told me that moles like that are ‘lucky’ or something. Weird. Freaking weird, weird, weird. I can’t stop staring.
Is that how people here feel about Derik and I’s hairy arms? Are we really ‘furry’ to them? I guess I’m just going to have to live with the petting and the weird comments. Wish I liked it as much as this owl does.
On that note I think its time I introduce you to Rachel and her spiffy blog Postcard from Rachel. Not because she has a lot of body hair (well I guess a person never really knows), but because she (and Lisette) put me up to this darn post. Here’s evidence.
Ps-We all know Rachel is lying about the bushy eyebrows. She has beautiful eyebrows and hair. Check her out.
Anyway, I stumbled upon Postcards from Rachel back in April when I decided to start getting serious about blogging. She was one of the highest on on the Travel blogs listing in Bloglovin’ and I knew, just knew I had to get to know this girl. Rachel’s blog was one of the first that I sponsored, and even without her knowing it, I’ve learned so much from her. She’s honest, adventurous, loves animals, and… has an obsession for photography (like me!). This girl pumps out the best posts such as: Top Travel Apps you Cannot Live Without, Ways to Use Your Instagram Photos, and Photography Tips and Tricks. She seriously has a knack to draw her readers in.
I was absolutely flattered that she wanted to be my in-post this month. Rachel is definitely a girl you should get to know. If you’re not into reading blogs (um…you’re reading this post so you should be), you can find her on: Bloglovin’, Twitter, Facebook , and Instagram .
Happy Friday!