Chinese Modesty

Look at the way my students are dressed.

Do you see any v-necked shirts?

Any flashy labels or designs?

Any skin showing?

Definitely not.

There are no bare shoulders, bare legs, or bare midriffs here in Tongliao. Perhaps in Beijing or Shanghai it is a different story, but here in north China, in this small city, even if it is 100 degrees, you will not see young men and women in shorts, and tank tops.

The boys here play basketball in the heat with their shirts on,

and you won't see any college girls tanning outside with a magazine and sunglasses, American girl style. Chinese girls desire to be white as can be, and so they wear cloth face masks, wide brim hats, and stay indoors.

Socks are always worn with shoes. With sandals, too...girls wear thin panty hose when they wear sandals or open-toed shoes.

I've had to make some adjustments so my own style, so I don't offend others.

Last week I was jump roping outside my house in mid-thigh shorts and a t-shirt when a Pakistani girl walked by wearing long colorful loose clothing and a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She looked at my legs and gave me the meanest look.

So no more shorts for me, for the time being.

However, I do wear sandals without socks and everybody is just going to have to get used to it.

I also have to be careful about bra-straps showing, form-fitting clothing and dressing too lightly on a cold day, which seems to really bother others and begs the question, "Aren't you cold? Why don't you wear more clothes?"

In which I answer, "Fashion over comfort...I refuse to wear a heavy jacket over this cute dress."

And everyone just looks at me like I'm a crazy foreigner,

which I guess I am.