Fatfat

One of the cultural differences in Vanuatu that I don't think I'm going to be able to get used to is the lack of body consciousness, or at least the lack of stigma in talking about it. Let me play out a scene for you:

Hands clasped on top of my head, elbows splayed to the outside, I breathe heavily. I've just finished a sprint workout on the soccer field near my house, and look over with a smile at two friends as they walk by.
"Yu stap ronron fram se yu fatfat bitim before?" ("You're running because you've been getting fatter?") Surprised, and rather taken back by the comment, with a smile that's now a little forced, I get defensive.
"No, mi stap ron fram se bae mi plei lo wan tournament." ("No, I'm running because I'm getting in shape for a tournament.")
"Ah, mi ting se bae yu mas ronron lo moning tu so bae bel blo yu i go daon." ("Oh, well, you should probably go running in the mornings too, so you get skinnier.") Keeping on the fake smile, I joke with them about how I don't like waking up that early in the morning.

In Vanuatu, if people can joke with you about your weight, it means they feel comfortable around you. Calling people fat here is not a bad thing. There's none of the inherent fat-shaming that exists in the US; just good natured ribbing among friends. While I intellectually understand that this shows I'm integrating well into my community, I still cringe a little every time. Just one of those American things that are hard to let go of, eh?