I've been thinking a lot about things like rights, equality, and privileges lately. They're not all the same thing at all. Yes, I was offended that the locker room at the city pool is the size of a closet while the men have a hot tub and restaurant, but I'm past that. Well, almost :)
The “carnival” - balloon games, a ferris wheel, and swings - came to our village last week and it only took a few minutes to be reminded that this is culture based on roles. Men socialized while the women were either absent or to the side with the children. This ball rolling makes me wonder so many questions...
Is it wrong to assume a woman will stay home with 3-7 kids? Or is it only wrong to demand she do so if she doesn't want to? Are they happy not being spoken to or touched by their husbands in public? (My own waves and acknowledgments to male staff and neighbors went unreturned even though we cut up every day at work or in the yard. Public is a different scenario, even for a foreigner, which stinks when you're standing there by yourself, and can't find any women to talk to!) Why don't women get upset that its socially acceptable for married men to have girlfriends? Even in these arranged marriages do women still have the desire to be wooed and appreciated, even by a relative stranger? How is it they still believe (to a certain degree) that domestic violence is acceptable? How does this arranged marriage thing work anyway?
I can imagine the potential self-esteem issues in girls... or is my Westernized brain just bulking because its so foreign to me? And not that I'm a women's lib kinda girl, either. I'm intrigued....

To everyone who has asked, nope, Easter isn't celebrated either! (c'mon, if Christmas isn't, easter would be a stretch :) )

We got word of a christian service in a huge tent in a parking lot of the area they're developing, and it turned out to be thousands of people! I'd say Korean, Australian, and African were the most populous groups, and it was absolutely great to be in that familiar situation. Good songs and good insight about how people view the christ, then off to the gym, and pizza for dinner. I couldn't ask for a better easter Sunday. Well, maybe if I'd found out WVU beat Duke it'd been perfect, but oh well.

Forgiven and thankful for it,