"Oh, Michèle, du bist so schön... so weiss – wie ein Hund", sagt Kwan mit einem grossen Lachen im Gesicht, was mich leicht irritiert und Marc köstlich amüsiert. Zu meiner eigenen Verteidigung muss ich allerdings anmerken, dass unsere thailändische Freundin Hunde über alles liebt, und auch der dreckigste Strassenköter ihr ein "oh, so herzig!" entlockt.Das beste kommt allerdings noch, denn nachdenklich betrachtet sie nun meine Unterarme, mit einem leichten Flaum kurzer, heller Haare bedeckt, wie das für Mitteleuropäer nun mal üblich ist. Kurzerhand entschliesst sie sich, ihr Kompliment auszubauen: "Oh nein, ... wie eine Mischung aus Hund und Affe!"
Zu diesem Zeitpunkt sieht man Marc's Augen schon lange nicht mehr, sein ganzes Gesicht lacht so asiatisch wie nur möglich; und rundherum begrüssen ihn alle in Thai. Nur die Sonnencrème, zu der ich ihn jeden Morgen verdamme und die er dann im Laufe des Tages stur abstösst, bildet einen weissen Film über der Haut und verrät auch diesen "Farang".
Schön ist es, Freunde mit einem Schönheitsideal zu haben, dem man auch ohne Sonnenbaden entspricht. :)
Pretty as dog and monkey
Intercultural communication in Thailand
"Oh, Michèle, you are so pretty... so white – like a dog", says Kwan with a big smile on her face, to Marc's utter amusement. In my own defense I have to add that our thai friend loves dogs more than anything and she bursts out in admiration at even the dirtiest street cur.
As if this wasn't enough, she now examines my underarms, covered with fine blonde body hair as common fro the European race. Without hesitation, she decides to expand her compliment: "I mean... like a mixture between dog and monkey!"
At this point of time, Marc's eyes have long disappeared in a big Asian smile, and people all around have long started addressing him directly in Thai. Only the sun screen that he is forced to put on every morning and which he then rejects over the course of the day, it builds a white film on top of his skin and thus denounces even this hidden "Farang".
How good is it to have friends with a beauty ideal, which to fulfill requires neither sun bathing nor epilation. :)
Intercultural communication in Thailand
"Oh, Michèle, you are so pretty... so white – like a dog", says Kwan with a big smile on her face, to Marc's utter amusement. In my own defense I have to add that our thai friend loves dogs more than anything and she bursts out in admiration at even the dirtiest street cur.
As if this wasn't enough, she now examines my underarms, covered with fine blonde body hair as common fro the European race. Without hesitation, she decides to expand her compliment: "I mean... like a mixture between dog and monkey!"
At this point of time, Marc's eyes have long disappeared in a big Asian smile, and people all around have long started addressing him directly in Thai. Only the sun screen that he is forced to put on every morning and which he then rejects over the course of the day, it builds a white film on top of his skin and thus denounces even this hidden "Farang".
How good is it to have friends with a beauty ideal, which to fulfill requires neither sun bathing nor epilation. :)
0 Comments:
Post a Comment