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Photo by Spencer Tunick!18,000 people, Zocalo square, Mexico City
I just felt as I were in the middle of those 18.000 people today.
I'll explain:
Last month I got a huge urge to join a gym and start some fitness program again. I used to do it, and I was missing it a lot.
So, I found a very good one near my home. Just like less than 10 minutes driving it the transit were cooperative. Yes driving! Even thought Taiwan is a tiny country nobody uses to walk here because it's almost impossible to cross a street if not in normal walking areas. And this gym is at Taimall, a huge mall in Nankan.
Nankan is another citied just glued on the one I'm living now, Taoyuan. So walk to there is really impossible because there is a road separating the two cities.
Anyway...I got my gym bag and I happily drove to Extreme Fitness Center, hoping to get a relaxing sauna after the sweating session!
Well, before I got into the above picture, I must remember you that I'm from Brasil. That almost all year long sunshine days, with beautiful beaches and very tiny bikinis.
What it has to do with the gym and the pics?
As soon as I got at the gym, I went to change and as soon as I open the door of the female changing/restroom I got into a huge cultural shock. Every single woman over there were naked, completely naked. They were even blowing their hairs naked. Talking friendly to each other naked. Some of them were stretching just like in the picture above, naked.
Oh God, I really really got scared. I never saw such a scene in my life. If would be better if you don't try to imagine it, trust me!
Yes, I'm from Brasil and over there we use a very tiny bikini. That's true and I must admit I just buy really tiny bikinis even for Brazilian standards.
However I never went to a sauna in Brasil where 100% of the women were naked, talking as they were in a cafe. I never went to a changing room and see towels on the floor and women talking naked as they were in their living room. I never in my life saw so many women naked. It was around 50. I'm not kidding!
I guess I never changed my clothes so fast. I tried to find a corner where I could find an empty locker to put my bag and my clothes in and as soon I found it, it started getting crowed of naked women. Oh gosh, it was really embarrassing to me and I know for sure it would be embarrassing to every single Brazilian woman I know.
I sat on a bench to unzippering my boot and when I lifted my face it almost reached a naked ass. Firstly one woman bent over to put a shoes on! Then many follow her. It was also the first time I saw someone starting dressing from bottom to top, from shoes to T-shirt!. It isn't funny, I swear to God.
You may wondering how a Brazilian woman who walks on the beach wearing a tiny bikini can be shocked with such a scene! Well, it is simple. We do have a small bikini but we do wear one, and our bikinis are tiny but they cover what must/should be covered. And when we, Brazilian women, are in public changing room we do wrap ourselves with a towel.
Brasil is a catholic country and catholics usually think that naked body is offensive, or immoral, or even indecorous! We learn from early age that we can't be naked in front of people, especially those who are not close family!
And then on the other side of the world, I go to an innocent gym and a whole new world is out there, literally out there. I may sound prudish, but I am not, really!
Well, what I know is that I will from now on leave home wearing my gym clothes. I really didn't feel comfortable around so many naked asses!
I'll explain:
Last month I got a huge urge to join a gym and start some fitness program again. I used to do it, and I was missing it a lot.
So, I found a very good one near my home. Just like less than 10 minutes driving it the transit were cooperative. Yes driving! Even thought Taiwan is a tiny country nobody uses to walk here because it's almost impossible to cross a street if not in normal walking areas. And this gym is at Taimall, a huge mall in Nankan.
Nankan is another citied just glued on the one I'm living now, Taoyuan. So walk to there is really impossible because there is a road separating the two cities.
Anyway...I got my gym bag and I happily drove to Extreme Fitness Center, hoping to get a relaxing sauna after the sweating session!
Well, before I got into the above picture, I must remember you that I'm from Brasil. That almost all year long sunshine days, with beautiful beaches and very tiny bikinis.
What it has to do with the gym and the pics?
As soon as I got at the gym, I went to change and as soon as I open the door of the female changing/restroom I got into a huge cultural shock. Every single woman over there were naked, completely naked. They were even blowing their hairs naked. Talking friendly to each other naked. Some of them were stretching just like in the picture above, naked.
Oh God, I really really got scared. I never saw such a scene in my life. If would be better if you don't try to imagine it, trust me!
Yes, I'm from Brasil and over there we use a very tiny bikini. That's true and I must admit I just buy really tiny bikinis even for Brazilian standards.
However I never went to a sauna in Brasil where 100% of the women were naked, talking as they were in a cafe. I never went to a changing room and see towels on the floor and women talking naked as they were in their living room. I never in my life saw so many women naked. It was around 50. I'm not kidding!
I guess I never changed my clothes so fast. I tried to find a corner where I could find an empty locker to put my bag and my clothes in and as soon I found it, it started getting crowed of naked women. Oh gosh, it was really embarrassing to me and I know for sure it would be embarrassing to every single Brazilian woman I know.
I sat on a bench to unzippering my boot and when I lifted my face it almost reached a naked ass. Firstly one woman bent over to put a shoes on! Then many follow her. It was also the first time I saw someone starting dressing from bottom to top, from shoes to T-shirt!. It isn't funny, I swear to God.
You may wondering how a Brazilian woman who walks on the beach wearing a tiny bikini can be shocked with such a scene! Well, it is simple. We do have a small bikini but we do wear one, and our bikinis are tiny but they cover what must/should be covered. And when we, Brazilian women, are in public changing room we do wrap ourselves with a towel.
Brasil is a catholic country and catholics usually think that naked body is offensive, or immoral, or even indecorous! We learn from early age that we can't be naked in front of people, especially those who are not close family!
And then on the other side of the world, I go to an innocent gym and a whole new world is out there, literally out there. I may sound prudish, but I am not, really!
Well, what I know is that I will from now on leave home wearing my gym clothes. I really didn't feel comfortable around so many naked asses!
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7 comments:
I would feel very uncomfortable in that situation too. In Islam, of course, we cover everything to go out in public, but not when there are only women present. We can show another woman any part of our body EXCEPT our private parts, unless it is for medical reasons.
I thought Brazilian girls would change naked, instead of Taiwanese girls. Since when Taiwanese girls are so open about their body? That's surprising.
hajar...
i'm not comfortable walking naked in the middle of strangers at all. and they were so free!
i remember the first and last time i went to a sauna in switzerland. men and women naked talking and sweating together. no towels wrapping them.
oh gosh!
and then we brazilians carry on the stereotype of being naked around!
oh girl!!
i don't know about before here in taiwan, but now...everybody, at least in the changing room of extreme fitness center in nankan, was just so comfortable being naked around!
and i was told that in the male changing room is exactly the same thing. the guys even blow their hairs all naked.
stereotype is a very very complicate issue and usually it carries along wrong information!
Ahahahahahahah!:) Desculpe, mas este post está excelente.
Brincadeiras à parte, posso perfeitamente imaginar o constrangimento. Sem falsos pudores, eu cá gosto muito de preservar o mistério do meu corpo, mesmo num balneário cheio de mulheres, onde todas temos um corpo "igual".
Acho que a sua solução é a melhor, Entra já pronta, faz o que tem a fazer, e sai vestida da mesma forma que entrou.
;)
hi Leandra
well it seems like u been got lost in the crowd, u should know its sauna place hot and sweat, tell me abt the brazilian mini bikini,,,,,
can u please give me the times and the days of the mix session ha ha glad ur enjoying ur self and having fun. take care
Bom dia, Leandra! Adoreri o seu blog... apesar de não conseguir ler nada...rs rs rs rs rs rs ...mas adorei as imagens(kkk).... Aquela foto do Marquinho de óculos....ele ficou horrível....KKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Beijinhos... e obrigada por acompanhar meu bloguinho...entre sempre q quiser...
Taciana
Leandra,
I would like to ask how much you paid for your membership? I just moved into the area (Linkou) and have inquired at the gym. Its the only one around and they seem to know it. I was quoted 1600NT/month if I pay a year in advance. I was hoping for something a little cheaper as it is more than double what I pay in the US. Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.
-Danny
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