Barefoot Interview #26: Malaysia's Julie
There are many different people from all over the world who like going barefoot. Some people like doing it as a hobby. On the other hand, other people who go barefoot as a tradition or as a part of their culture. Apparently, there are many who like going barefoot are unable to share their stories. So, this will be a long interviewing series and talking to people who are from all over and let them speak about their barefooting. So, welcome the newest barefoot interviewee, Julie. Julie is (currently) a 19 year old college local matriculation student; she was born in Kudat, Sabah and resides in Labuan, Malaysia. Here is what Julie had to say about being barefoot.
What inspired you to go barefoot?
I grew up with the habit of barefooting indoor almost every place I went and the situations where everyone would be okay with leaving their footwear outside of someone else’s house during visits or even birthday parties – though there’s a possibility to lose your footwear at the end. So it’s normal for me. If it was “to go barefoot more”, I think reading some barefoot-inspired articles, talking to friends on barefooting and my backgrounds are what inspired me to go barefoot, more.
What are some of the reasons you like going barefoot?
I mainly go barefoot because I got tired of wearing footwear all the time while being outside, especially when I have classes from morning until the evening. Not like 24/7 (I know some people who chose to not having any footwear) as I would take my flats off secretly during classes while everyone was so busy listening. A few days later, I noticed some friends followed doing the same. Besides, I like it because it’s totally fun rather than having shoes on. It feels so great to be able to feel the ground with my bare feet and have my toes relaxed.
Name some places you like going barefoot.
At the beach? I love beaches a lot. Also, in my hometown (and some other places), it’s normal to see people barefooting inside churches during Sunday Service so everyone can dance and sing together while enjoying on their feet and I really think this is amazing. Similarly, I love barefooting at home.
Where would you like to try and go barefoot that you haven't done so?
Somewhere where I can wake up to green views around me and it’s a very, very quiet place and nothing to distract me from barefooting 24/7 - just an ideal place for me.
Why do you think people should go barefoot more often besides at home and the beach?
It comes back to the health benefits that you can get from it. Well, I am not saying barefooting at home and beach is bad. While we normally take off our footwear at places where we are away from works and relax our feet, why not try doing the opposite? It has many advantages than just on health and enjoyment and I think, this is also basically starting from the way how we look at it. Either way, barefooting more often is not a bad idea.
Give us a story of a time you went barefoot and had a lot of fun doing it.
My classes for the day were done and I was planning to have a nice evening drink with a friend afterward but she had to go for some centralized math quiz. So I ended up walking alone on my own to the café and all the way back to dorm. However, just a few steps away outside the café, I thought of barefooting. It may seem kind of crazy and unusual to see some female student, still in her complete semi-formal attire and books in her hold, taking off her flats simply just like that without even glancing around to check if anyone was witnessing all this madness – but I did it anyway. I enjoyed every move I made on the brick floor with my bare feet, that I didn't have to rush to go back quickly like what I usually did with friends and the cold sensation that I felt beneath my soles; it was amazing.
Why do you think some stores have banned going barefoot?
Speaking of stores banned barefooting, locally, I have not entered or heard any stores which did that. They might have been experiencing some customers went inside their stores without wearing any footwear on and the act of that alone grossed out the others, probably to the extent of complaining about their dissatisfaction and well, threatening? Not sure.
If possible, please share any of your barefooting experiences.
Else than that of me barefooting outside the café, I did try walking barefoot several times outside just for fun. In Labuan, it gets hotter during the day just because it is an island and so sometimes the burning asphalts can be quite challenging. Overall, I think it's great.
Since going barefoot is healthy, why do you think people deny it?
First off, it is because of religion and beliefs. For Muslim ladies, as you may or may not know, they don’t show their bare feet publicly as doing so will go against their laws and none would want to dare that – they deny barefooting as in practicing it outside. From my experience, not all of them thinking or denying barefoot is healthy, though. Once, I asked a friend what did she think of barefooting. She said, “I think it’s unmannered, disrespectful, uncivilized, and inappropriate.” That did it – I was actually barefoot just next to her that time, haha.
Finish this analogy: Someone who does not want to go barefoot is like...
A person who is being blindfolded and was told to walk herself straight.
What would you say to someone who thinking going barefoot is gross?
I believe everyone has their own views and experience is quite subjective. Nonetheless, as long as you know what is what and you are well aware of all the positive outcomes that you can get by barefooting, that’s fine with me.
Conclusion.
I do thank by Julie for taking the time and answering these questions and as well as supporting that going barefoot is actually a good and healthy thing. Tune in next time when someone else in another country talks about their likes on barefooting. Remember, speak your mind and comment down below.
What inspired you to go barefoot?
I grew up with the habit of barefooting indoor almost every place I went and the situations where everyone would be okay with leaving their footwear outside of someone else’s house during visits or even birthday parties – though there’s a possibility to lose your footwear at the end. So it’s normal for me. If it was “to go barefoot more”, I think reading some barefoot-inspired articles, talking to friends on barefooting and my backgrounds are what inspired me to go barefoot, more.
What are some of the reasons you like going barefoot?
I mainly go barefoot because I got tired of wearing footwear all the time while being outside, especially when I have classes from morning until the evening. Not like 24/7 (I know some people who chose to not having any footwear) as I would take my flats off secretly during classes while everyone was so busy listening. A few days later, I noticed some friends followed doing the same. Besides, I like it because it’s totally fun rather than having shoes on. It feels so great to be able to feel the ground with my bare feet and have my toes relaxed.
Name some places you like going barefoot.
At the beach? I love beaches a lot. Also, in my hometown (and some other places), it’s normal to see people barefooting inside churches during Sunday Service so everyone can dance and sing together while enjoying on their feet and I really think this is amazing. Similarly, I love barefooting at home.
Where would you like to try and go barefoot that you haven't done so?
Somewhere where I can wake up to green views around me and it’s a very, very quiet place and nothing to distract me from barefooting 24/7 - just an ideal place for me.
Why do you think people should go barefoot more often besides at home and the beach?
It comes back to the health benefits that you can get from it. Well, I am not saying barefooting at home and beach is bad. While we normally take off our footwear at places where we are away from works and relax our feet, why not try doing the opposite? It has many advantages than just on health and enjoyment and I think, this is also basically starting from the way how we look at it. Either way, barefooting more often is not a bad idea.
Give us a story of a time you went barefoot and had a lot of fun doing it.
My classes for the day were done and I was planning to have a nice evening drink with a friend afterward but she had to go for some centralized math quiz. So I ended up walking alone on my own to the café and all the way back to dorm. However, just a few steps away outside the café, I thought of barefooting. It may seem kind of crazy and unusual to see some female student, still in her complete semi-formal attire and books in her hold, taking off her flats simply just like that without even glancing around to check if anyone was witnessing all this madness – but I did it anyway. I enjoyed every move I made on the brick floor with my bare feet, that I didn't have to rush to go back quickly like what I usually did with friends and the cold sensation that I felt beneath my soles; it was amazing.
Why do you think some stores have banned going barefoot?
Speaking of stores banned barefooting, locally, I have not entered or heard any stores which did that. They might have been experiencing some customers went inside their stores without wearing any footwear on and the act of that alone grossed out the others, probably to the extent of complaining about their dissatisfaction and well, threatening? Not sure.
If possible, please share any of your barefooting experiences.
Else than that of me barefooting outside the café, I did try walking barefoot several times outside just for fun. In Labuan, it gets hotter during the day just because it is an island and so sometimes the burning asphalts can be quite challenging. Overall, I think it's great.
Since going barefoot is healthy, why do you think people deny it?
First off, it is because of religion and beliefs. For Muslim ladies, as you may or may not know, they don’t show their bare feet publicly as doing so will go against their laws and none would want to dare that – they deny barefooting as in practicing it outside. From my experience, not all of them thinking or denying barefoot is healthy, though. Once, I asked a friend what did she think of barefooting. She said, “I think it’s unmannered, disrespectful, uncivilized, and inappropriate.” That did it – I was actually barefoot just next to her that time, haha.
Finish this analogy: Someone who does not want to go barefoot is like...
A person who is being blindfolded and was told to walk herself straight.
What would you say to someone who thinking going barefoot is gross?
I believe everyone has their own views and experience is quite subjective. Nonetheless, as long as you know what is what and you are well aware of all the positive outcomes that you can get by barefooting, that’s fine with me.
Conclusion.
I do thank by Julie for taking the time and answering these questions and as well as supporting that going barefoot is actually a good and healthy thing. Tune in next time when someone else in another country talks about their likes on barefooting. Remember, speak your mind and comment down below.
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