The shower is usually too hot and over-pressured, but every now and then, one thing or another goes wrong and the shower gets cold.
The hot water hasn't been working for the last 2 and 1/2 days, so I figured I'd let the dorm "supervisor" know, so that he might start thinking about solving the problem. As I got out of the shower and entered the common room there was a 40-something-year-old women in our common room talking to one of the supervisors. I begin to walk over to the supervisor to let him know about the hot water problem, but when she sees me she immediately stops her conversation and turns her face away from me. I was just in a towel, it's not like I was naked.
Because I want to show respect for this culture that I've decided to study, I went straight to my room, changed into a shirt and sweat pants, and then returned to ask the supervisor to fix the hot water.
I live in an all guy's dorm, and women are not allowed to visit whatsoever. The only women that I see are employees from the girl's dorm down the street who want to talk to the "well-respected" president of the dorms. So, it's not like I'm parading around without a shirt around in the middle of the street, this is a closed environment.
The Egyptians in the dorms wear their clothes to the shower. Undress. Take a shower. Dress. Return to their rooms.
It seems so difficult and uncomfortable to change in the shower, but people are really into covering up.
While I respect the culture, I find it extremely silly that someone would feel uncomfortable with me walking around with my shirt off. Anyways, I enjoy my American freedoms and chill with my shirt off when I want.
