So it is official – I am a Mzungu with big breasts!!!

July 1/2010 – Happy Canada Day

So it is official – I am a Mzungu with big breasts!!! This was boldly declared by twin 6 year old Ugandan girls...

As I was talking to my sister who was calling from Guyana, I decided to go onto the street where there is some clearing and possibly better reception. Before long, I was surrounded by a flock of children, chattering excitedly in what I think was Luganda – I might add, they were very cute and brave. All the English they knew were “yes” and this was the standard response to whatever I said to them.

Soon they were busily patting my hands and making valiant attempts to touch the hair on my head. I thought I should make life easy for them so I stooped down...all the while giggling with my sister on the telephone. You should see the sight – a smatter of children busily touching my head, my nose, my hands and one bold soul – my chest...all the while chattering excitedly. I immediately recalled the movie with Brad Pitt when he was in Tibet and the little monk was playing with his golden hair....quite a funny sight. To crown the story, there were many adults – relatives of the children – looking on and having a quite laugh. Little did I know that the kids, in addition to saying any number of things, was also mentioning that the mzungu has big breasts!!!! Hahahah.... what a shock I had when someone kindly interpreted what the excitement was all about. To be kind, they also mentioned that I had beautiful hair and that I am nice....but the crown jewel of this interaction was the declaration on my breasts. I now so need to hit the gym!!!! OR GET SURGERY...

On a related note, I cannot seem to convince the folks that I am not a Mzungu. As I stated earlier, this is the term that describes people of Caucasian extraction... and somehow, to the kids and a very many Ugandans... I am really a tanned version! This is the funniest thing ever!!!!! Whenever I say that I am of Indian extraction – people promptly say that I hardly look like an Indian. On the other hand, the Indian people here excitedly indentify me as someone of Indian decent. The reactions have really been interesting. I was given quite a number of ethnicities –Ugandan (the election officials asked if I was here to register on the voting list), Ethiopian, Somalian, Latin American, Eritrean and African American! I only look Indian to the Indians who are at the food court in the mall. The most prevalent reaction is that I am a white...and never before had I had to explain that I am not white, almost daily.

I was at a school and one S.6 student asked me the following question: “Why are you whites so interested in Africa?” This was an important question, but I was hardly the right candidate to answer it. I told him that I am actually brown, South America...so I am not in a position to answer for the white person. However, the students were adamant that I was, in their eyes, white. Even after pointing out that Kosi, a girl in the class, was actually very pale in comparison to my very dark self, they were not convinced. After one month, I now allow my classification in Uganda to be “white” - whatever this means as there is no convincing that I am not... I am really a world citizen and everything all in one!

Now to the question of why many Europeans and North Americans are so interested in Africa – does anyone have some thoughts????

In the meanwhile, I just have to be content with the declaration that I am a a big breasted Mzungu! Me....big breasted....LORD HELP ME!!!!!!!