Mzungu Celebrity

“ Mzungu How are you? Mzungu How are you?” this chant follows me everywhere I go in the slums! Mzungu is the word for white person- and basically my new name in Nairobi. Even at the orphanage the kids just call me Mzungu, I am trying to train them to call me my name instead!

When I am walking through the slums every child that sees me just shouts at me, even after I recognize them they continue shouting! Most times it is the children that are not in school, so that is the extent of English that they know so they repeat it over and over until I am out of sight. Some don’t even know what they are saying and will say something like “La La Loo” because it sounds the same to them! I wish I could tell you how charitable I am by stopping and saying “Hello, I am fine. How are you” to each child, but it is so overwhelming I have to keep walking past most of them or a huge scene or chaos would erupt!

Today the guy I was working with told me the kids think I am a celebrity. I asked him which one I should be and he suggested Jennifer Anisten… I think I’ll take that as a compliment! But it goes to show what white skin means in this area. The only people they see with white skin are celebrities on TV or magazines so they assume I am rich and have the perfect life (because celebrities lead perfect lives, right!?) I wish I could tell everybody that is not the case, in fact I have tons of people supporting me making it possible for me to even be in Kenya right now. But they wouldn’t follow that! It is very weird for me to think I am one of the few white people they will ever see in their lives and they will keep that imagine with them… my crazy big hair and all, oh dear what am I representing to them!
all my white person love to you all back at home!
christie

PS-- the latest ploy suggested for me to marry the Kenyans here is (drum roll please....) you can marry more than 1 and it's ok (polygamy isn't frowned upon!) I don't have to just choose 1 anymore, how wonderful!
...still kidding!

Photo 1- looking out to a different area in the slum, over the tin shanty homes
Photo 2- interviewing a mom at her market where she sells veggies. Notice the crowd of children just watching!