Quote:
Originally Posted by MMM
Why he is saying is, they might feel sorry for your parents because they weren't able to teach you to treat your body as a temple. To mutilate your body in that way is one way of disrespecting the gift of life your parents gave you.
Personally, I would say either pull it out or find the tiniest little stud I could find to keep it open during the exchange. You are already asking your host parents to live a seafood free life during your stay, so I think it is the least you could do to show some respect for their household. At the very least you will be able to take photos with them they will be proud to show their friends and extended family.
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And yet I'd hope they would understand that I don't come from their culture. I'd hope they would understand that, in the West Indies, we don't generally see our bodies as temples. We see are bodies as blank canvases, ready for expression through make up, costumes, piercings, hair, fashion, etc. That's a part of the idea of an exchange. I learn about their culture. They learn about mine.
You're being slightly judgmental, and you're also jumping to assumptions. I'm not asking my host parents to live seafood free. I'm asking my host parents to understand if I don't eat their fish, and to understand why I'm going to the store to buy beef and chicken. They can keep their diet easily. All I'm asking is that they not be offended when I don't eat what they eat, seeing that what they eat will make my physically ill. Also, why are you assuming that my host family wouldn't be proud of me? I don't know them. You don't know them either. You're assuming that, because you have basic knowledge of the Japanese culture, you know about every single Japanese citizen. That's stereotyping. Isn't there a chance that my host family might be open to piercings, and that they might even have piercings themselves?