Well most people know I had platinum blondest blonde hair for a while- starting in spring 2012 'til a few months ago. That was also a terror for my poor fellow Austrians. When I flew to America, all I got was compliments on my striking hair. Especially because I have such dark features, the contrast was pretty cool. Eventually, my closest friends told me "the rules 101" of living here in the country (which Innsbruck practically is). Be as natural as possible. That means- natural hair, no makeup (except mascara)- like Abercrombie-Uniform-Style. So I have to pretend to be an Abercrombie girl for as long as I live in Austria and am "un-famous." I was also told that once I'm successful and have made a name for myself, then I can do whatever I want. But for now, I have no name and no reputation, which means that people will make up my reputation for me based on what they see.
I'm sorry guys who say "natural beauty is the best." In High School in America, that's more what I was known for. But the amount of makeup I wore in America would be considered at least outlandish here. And "the natural look" is just not my style! I don't feel like I'm being myself or anywhere close to being true to myself when I wear dowdy plain jane clothes and a swipe of mascara. Sure, I'm confident enough to do it, but it's just not me. The India inside is loud, hot pink, full of glitter, glam and passion! I rinsed my hair powder pink because I'm an 18 year old just having fun! Okay, while I don't feel 18, I still very much feel my youth and I'm going to do youth-appropriate things now- I mean how silly will I look with pink hair at 35? See what I mean?
So I dyed my hair back to my natural color- dark blonde- and people's reactions toward me changed entirely. How insane is it, that we live in a society so heavily influenced by the appearance of things? Even though we know that most things are not what they seem!
Sometimes I feel so hemmed in. Like I have to live up to other people's standards. But it's my life! How can I please myself when I'm living to please and gain the approval of others? It just feels ridiculous and I'm really tired of it. I know this all sounds very much like a "first world problem," but I think there is no worse feeling in the world than being made to feel like you aren't okay the way you are. It's not fair to make anyone feel that way, no matter how they dress, speak, where they come from, whom they love, etc. I don't care what your society, religion, family, etc. tells you. Hatred/discrimination/intolerance is just not okay. Period.
All I pray for in the world is tolerance. That is the single message I tried to convey in my tours up in Munich. If we actually lived in a tolerant world, where we accepted one another because everyone has something amazing to bring to the table, we would live in one fantastic place!
Anyway, I landed my butt in "high society" here in Innsbruck. You would be amazed at all the rules of etiquette that exist that most people don't know about. So I am being groomed! For example, when a man and woman walk down the street together, the woman has to walk to the right of the man because a dog would go on his left. Excessive jewelry is vulgar- for a lady it should be simply pearls! And everyone is dying to watch how you act in public- it's like a royal court for the modern age. True, this is the life and world I always imagined for myself. When I was a little kid, I imagined that my family was royalty that had met some misfortune and that's why we lived in the ordinary. So my visions are coming true! But now that they're arriving (one by one), I am happy, but I wish I had known all of these petty "rules" sooner- then it would be easier to glide right through!
Wish me luck guys. I'm gonna have dark blonde hair for a while :P
India
Music today: Sympathique by Pink Martini
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