So my mom gave me a lecture today on tanning. Her argument isn’t that I’d get skin cancer, but goes something like this:
Europeans like to tan because they’re all white. Dark skin isn’t common there so it’s nice when you have it. Here, it’s the opposite. We don’t have a lot of white people, so white is good and dark is bad. You are nice and white, why would you want to be dark? Just because “they” like to do it doesn’t mean you should.
Other than the fact I know Egyptians are unfortunately racist, and those with dark skin are considered somehow inferior (Case in point: I have a hijabi friend who makes sure to tan her entire body while covering her face so she doesn’t look “Sudanese”), my mom did make one pertinent point: Am I tanning just because it’s ingrained in me through being exposed to ‘western’ culture than tanning is good?
Personally, I love the feeling of the sun on my skin. I love how it seeps into my bones, kind of like how I love the feel of clothes that are hung out to dry in the sun till they dry. I love jumping in the pool and then drying in a second when I lie on the pool chair.
When oh when will the stupid mangoes ripen?
Our moms are all the same!
You have a very funny blog, here. I’ve enjoyed reading through some of your old posts. I’ve never met anyone like you who was born & raised in Egypt. Interesting stuff!
at least you have the option. im white and can never tan. i just get burnt, go red like a tomato and then my skin peels like a snake to reveal fresh new white skin underneath.
Thanks, Umm Omar! Ma’lesh Ange, at least you have the pleasure of being “helwa we beda zay el eshta” (nice and white like cream
)
yah… i always joke “i dont need ‘fair & lovely’. i AM fair & lovely”. they should get me to do their ads. but seriously… it would be nice to have the choice.
umm omar, i’m interested in knowing what about her you have not come across in born and raised egyptians.
also, how do u tan, oh fattractive one? at all women pools and such? i love tanning and how i look tan and am currently trying to go mahogany. my dad is always saying “ba2eity sooda awi” and my mom always tells him off cos obviously that’s a bad thing.
I tan like zis:
1) Put on swimsuit
2) Slather myself in tanning oil.
3) Turn on iPod speakers and put the iPod on shuffle.
4) Jump in pool for 10 mins.
5) Dry on sun lounger and tan.
Optional
6) Scream at my little brothers when they try and splash me with water/ push me into the pool.
Elhamdulela fee pool in the house and neighbors can’t see us. My dad just told me the same thing yesterday, be nazret araf keda. And he added “shaklek sudaneya.”
hello!
i think moms do the whole ” enty beda w zy el eshta” bs there r also lots of Egyptians who claim “el samar nos el gamal”. so we tend to get lost in the middle.
am pretty much like Ange … z un-tannable kind – “sigh”, so a change of color is great!
well your tanning regimen is exactly like mine
except i normally also have a 3aseer lamoon or beer as well.