Please don’t look at my cellulite!

One of the things that shocked me when I arrived to Kuwait is that I cannot stroll as I came into this world in the female changing rooms of my gym.

Being naked as a female in a female changing room is considered offensive. I was indeed very intrigued by this rule, and I wondered how this would work… If I cannot change my clothes in a changing room, where am I suppose to do it?!?

After some arduous inquiries and investigations, I discovered that there were some “micro-changing-rooms” within the female changing room, to ensure adherence to the cultural traditions.

I am very determined to respect the cultural aspects of Kuwait but this requires from me an extra effort, let me explain myself.

Every time I rush to the gym (always late) I have to do many stopovers: to my closed to leave my bags, then to the micro-changing-room, then back to my closed to leave my clothes, then rush to the stairs to go up to Pilates… By the time I reach the Pilates class I am: (1) late and (2) exhausted, and still I have to listen to my beloved teacher Amira looking at me and saying: “Lift your legs higher, tighten your abdominals...” While I look at her asking for clemency and wondering if she would ever be aware of my “changing-room-productivity-impact” syndrome…

The fact is cultural. The question is “WHY”. Will the other females be offended by seeing my cellulite (no matter my efforts -always in vain- to fight it)? Will I be transposed by the fact of seeing the luscious gluts from my female neighbor? Haven’t we women all been born the same?

Are there private changing rooms in all schools and universities in Kuwait? Do girls grow up hiding from each other in Kuwait? If not, when does the hiding process start? It is to me very, very mysterious…

For the time being, I will keep on hiding… Otherwise, I would definitely create a cultural clash.