Cover thyself

Almost everyone wears face masks over here. Not the typical white ones you'd find at your local Ace Hardware, but fashion-conscious face masks. Different hues, multi-colored designs, plaids, Hello Kitty embroidery - it's important to look your best when you wear one of these things.

It seems to have gotten out of hand. Some people wear them on buses or walking down the street. Probably to bed and in the shower too. It's a little strange when you make eye contact with someone and you don't know if they're smiling, growling or ogling. I usually just assume they're ogling. It gives me confidence.

There is a greater tendency among women to wear the mask. There are a multitude of factors. One is pollution and the desire to not inhale large quantities of exhaust on a regular basis. I can understand that. I have a headache right now that either stems from exhaust inhalation or malaria. I haven't figured it out.

Another factor is the desire to keep their skin a light color. A lot of women wear the masks along with a wide-brimmed hat only exposing their eyes when they go into the sun. They wear long pants and often arm-length gloves like the girl in the picture above. This is to stay white, which tends to be equated with greater beauty. This obviously is in opposition to the way we do it in the West. We must be tan! We have tanning lotions, they have whitening lotions. It seems crazy, but it's the way it is.

I have also gotten into the trend. Suntan lotion is just far too expensive. So I wear my long underwear under my shorts and tank top, five-toed socks with my flip flops and my lightweight Cambodian checkered scarf around my face under my short-brimmed cap. It's a difficult look to adjust to and I don't think I'll ever fit in, but being 6'2" and this white, I would have never fit in the first place. I may fit in, but I can't say I blend in. So much for coming home nice and tanned. I am shooting for as pasty as the day I was born.