I'm Here, I'm White, Get Used to It

A lot of people ask me if I stick out here. Not that I think it’s a stupid question, but it has an easy answer: YES. The other day I walked all the way to work with a woman walking next to me, facing me whispering muzungu the entire way. Muzungu means white person or foreigner, but it can mean all types of people: American, European, Asian, etc. it’s a very broad term. If you’ve been around Eastern Africa, then you’ve been called a muzungu. Since it means foreigner, it doesn’t matter what you look like – if you’re not from around here, you’re a muzungu.

But yes, it gets incredibly tiring. For some reason last week was terrible. As you know I always allow my friends to diagnose me, and Rachel, my fellow volunteer, explained that I am experiencing delayed culture shock. It never bothered me before when children would yell to me, come up to me, shake my hand, I could deal with always having to haggle and knowing I was getting a higher price because I was white and I could even cope with hearing people say muzungu then something in Kinyarwanda, so I knew they were having a little conversation about me, though I was standing a foot away. Recently this happened at my local place (in the comfort of my neighborhood, where I can practice my Kinyarwanda openly) and I whipped around so fast to stare and shame them with a look that says what the f did you just say about me, yes I know that word, and I’m just going to keep looking at you. Harumph.

I think the Uganda trip gave me some relief, and I’m back to my tolerant self. In the end, it’s a pretty minor price to pay to get to be here. I sometimes have to take a step back and realize I’m haggling over twenty cents, even though it’s the principle! Rwandans are very friendly, and many people have helped my Kinyarwanda improve. I will never not stick out here, but I do get to be in an incredibly country with so much culture and interesting people.