The Runaway Cook

I never imagined that in the 100F blistering hot summer tropics I'd want to put on a 15-20 pound coat that covered my body from crown to ankle, an that after I had been instructed to wear a sweater and pants. But that is exactly what I did today.

Part of our touring Malaysia, a muslim country, included visiting a mosque. I was especially excited to visit this place since, in the last month, I had visited a Buddhist temple complex, a Hindu temple, Saint Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. Learning about all these different places of worship and the different religions that meet inside them has been very eve-opening. The most shocking thing to me has been how similar ideas can be between two groups and yet how different they can honor those ideas and the vice versa.

Today's experience was quite different from all the others. It wasn't just a matter of washing our feet before entering, or making sure our shoulders and thighs were covered. No, even after we dressed to cover our bodies from wrist to toe (yes toe, we were instructed that would not be permitted to enter with open-toed shoes), the women in our group were still made to wear thick blue cloaks to cover our whole bodies. It's one thing to see how the muslim women of this country dress, but it's another to put on that same heavy cloak even if it was for just 15 minutes.

While we visited today, there was a funeral taking place and a bride waiting in the wings for their ceremony to end and hers to begin. It was strangely ironic, a feeling I seemed to pick up everywhere today. Even the the blue sky seemed to be the opposite of the bright pink dome of this structure.

To me, the idea of modesty is rather romantic. Dressing in a way that keeps your body a kind of secret seems to make our bodies seem more sacred. But seeing such a stark difference in the rules for men and women made me feel so frustrated. If an arm is "immodest" to show for a woman then why is it not immodest for a man?

I guess in the end this place that seemed like it was focused on reverence and worship felt like was focused on rules and distinction. I feel honored to have seen such a beautiful structure with unique architecture and traditions. But more importantly I feel so grateful for the freedom I had in taking off that heavy coat once I stepped outside the door.