^ Yeah, I'd have to agree with Spock. I haven't been to Pakistan for 8 yrs now but my parents and siblings have frequented a few times. Last time I was there, I don't remember anyone at all in our milna-milaana having this BO issue. Also, much of my family (in Pakistan) travels and we get to see them every now and then. So my point, even if they've been here, I've never experienced any BO or halitosis problems.
It is pretty rude I'd say to just base this discussion on desis or Asians or whoever. Half the goras I meet at work (and btw I work at this decent sized design firm in Toronto) have booze breath or smoke breath. Or they've really dry mouths and then they chew gum and I don't wanna go on.
You don't have to be a "desi" to be patronized as having person hygiene issues.
chanda..it was for people like you that I clarified a few things in my initial post, please familiarize yourself with it, explore it and use the help of an english speaker or a dictionary if needed.
i had clearly identified..
1) not just desis in pakistan
2) not just desis in us but other immigrants to e.g. chinese
3) not just immigrants but locals as well..thus the refrence to ball park
niksik has explained the intent here quite well, Now after reading that if you want to be a baby about it and cover your ears and close your eyes and hold your breath until you turn blue. please go ahead.
However take for example that mosque in Devon Chicago, its different, there's all sorts of people, cabbies, murghi kaatney walley etc coming straight from work...
power to you brotha...that is one place that i was thinking of..
plus like indepoendence day parade and mela, which should be renamed maila just based on the smell.
and really go to ohare for any air india flight and let your sense of smell slap you
niksik the issue is that it is a topic that is hard to bring up, as soona s someone brings it up ppl start labelling you as wana be and what nots, but we are talking basic hygiene. at my uni they had an international student orientation where they really went over all kinds of things ranging from safety, personal space, what is proper or improper ..allowed students to do better here.
maybe something similar is needed for community centers and community organisations, but again its a sensitive topic and how to do it without offending people.
the term 'paki' used in UK, was accompanied by a finger under the nose to signify smell, yeah it was a damn racist thing for those ppl to do, but the sad fact s that it was based on the fact that many people did smell, and I suppose no one wants to be seen as dirty..they just need to be guided.
I know what you are saying about bringing the topic up.
At my daughter's Qur'an classes, her teacher talks about taharat and najasat as a muslim and for salat, and especially as we represent our community here in the US. She comes up with the most practical discussions and great examples. But there were a few moms who were nodding their heads during the class and one of them even said that we desis don't have such issues. Some of us don't sense the need even though you see their kids come in with dirty finger nails and when you point it out, they'll say oh they are just kids and kids get dirty.
But yes, this issue is common in desis but not limited to desis of course.
LL I agree .....food plays a big factor. I think the amount of garlic and onions desi's use in their food effects the BO they emit.
Also last I heard was that deodorant is expensive to buy for the average person living in pakistan. I don't know if that has changed now but it may play a factor as well.
From my experience....the more upper class the less BO.
This thread reminded me of Russell Peters :D. He openly makes fun of how badly Indians smells but no one in the audience got up and threw a joota at him for insulting them. Infact, they all take it as good humor.
So,** bhenji**, its ok - X2 meant no harm. Help him out understanding the basis and significant of desi BO. =)
btw the filthiest person I know is a PhD from an ivy league, a director leel at a certain company I had interactiosn with who biked to work during summer and while he would shower and change, he would leave his socks, jockstrap, bike shorts...on the damn airvent of all places, so all the air that is coming in, is being filtered thru his junk..
my nickname for him was crotch germs..
clean cut guy otherwise, but simply clueless about this filthy habit of his..
I think the heat/load shedding is definitely not helping matters.
I think some people have a lack of personal hygiene, i.e. they are reluctant to use deodorants but that is just some people. The climate, diet and lifestyle is very different to the Western world. Hence why we find such discrepencies.
Having said that you just have to look at the UK 'chavs', as they are called, you would think they do not know what a shower is.
I think generally, the more well off you are in Pakistan, the more you can afford to buy personal hygiene products, perfume, deodorant and so forth.
Plus the atmosphere and the environment can be quite pungent generally due to outdoor cooking, roaming cattle, omissions from cars and rickshaw; when you are out and about that can make you smell too.
X2 and other non- UK Pakistanis
I always thought 'paki' was a derogratory term worldwide, not just used in the UK. Has anyone else experienced being called this?
Looking back it is quite a contradiction being called a 'paki' as paak means clean.
Problem with us desis is that most of us are immune to those smells. If you can smell it off someone else's body, you become little cautions about protecting your body from emitting such smells.
Its like a fish monger, he would never complain of the smell, while you and me cant stay in that shop for more that 15 minutes ..
@ crotch germs eeew…
