In a naked way

I was a swimmer in high school, and I surely had many years of sharing locker rooms with team mates. Older men were always naked in the locker rooms, but never us. We liked to think that we were too cool for nudity, but the truth is that we were ashamed to be naked around each other. God forbid any rumors spread about people's fortitude, or more appropriately, lack thereof. I'm willing to bet this was a stigma Korean high school teams never dealt with.

Koreans are routinely nude in front of each other. Of course, this is only the case when they are amongst the same sex. Public bathing is huge here. It is actually considered a real compliment to be invited to a bath by a Korean. Many say this type of invitation is an unquestionably clear attempt at a friendship. This has certainly been the case in my experience. Regardless, the point is that it's a very Korean thing to be comfortably naked in a room of your peers.

I just recently joined a gym, and in doing so realized that I have finally overcome my male-nudity phobia. Korea and Korea alone are to thank for that. Don't get me wrong, Koreans are not a wild and crazy people. Bikinis are frowned upon here. Hardcore pornography is illegal to have and bring in to Korea. That said, nudity is an afterthought in the appropriate spaces. I find that to be both comforting and appropriate. AS a result, you will never see me make a 'deck change' in a locker room ever again. I guess I have officially joined the old creepy dudes. Can you handle that America?