Umbrellas

It's rainy today. Not surprising, because it is, after all, the rainy season. So it is not unusual that everyone I saw walking was carrying an umbrella. What is strange to my "western" upbringing, however, is that Koreans (specifically the women) are almost just as likely to be carrying an umbrella on sunny days! In Korea, as in many parts of Asia, it is considered beautiful to have very white skin. Darker skin is associated with outdoor labor--farming, etc--which I guess associates you with a lower class. It's quite hilarious to see all the whitening creams that are sold here or how ridiculously white the models on tv appear. In the U.S., we buy tanning creams, go to tanning beds, and models are perfectly bronzed. Beauty is all in the eye of the beholder, I guess. Maybe I came to the right place with my tan-resistant skin..... ;)