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My teacher Chely and I were discussing a man we both knew of, but I had never met. She said, "He's prematurely gray, like you."

"I am?" I said.

"Yeah, your skin looks very young, but your hair is partly gray."

"Oh." I tried to laugh it off. I'm not used to being people being so direct about my physical characteristics.

I heard something similar the other night at a concert. The MC said, "Now the 'gordito' singer will perform." ('gordito' means plump).

About six men out of the chorus surged forward ready to fill the bill. None of them seemed embarrassed.

In Mexico, people think nothing of saying "You're fat! Stop eating so much!" One of our teachers, when she started graduate school in Mexico City, started eating compulsively out of stress. Her housemate scolded her, "You should never eat like that!" When our teacher told me what her housemate said, I felt very protective of her. "That's none of her business!" I fumed. "It's so inappropriate!"

Here we go again. Another cultural difference. We in the States have become so sensitive. We are so much more careful, and when on the receiving end, more easily offended. Here in Mexico, there are far worse things to worry about.