In Uganda We stood out! it was very obvious that we were different from everyone else, we were not from Africa. But we were not treated as strangers we were treated as if we were celebrities!
Every place we went people would smile and wave. I will never forget the squeals coming from the children as they chased our cars shouting "Mazunga! Mazunga!"
Mazunga is the native language, Lugandan, for White person. Now given our American history with race we weren't sure if this was an offensive term or not so we turned to our guide Richard.
"No they just mean you have white skin. it would be like seeing a lion and shouting lion! they see a white person so they shout white person."
I would try to wave at everyone of the kids running after us and when they felt like I made eye contact they would laugh and jump and scream louder! I felt so welcomed!
I admit I was nervous about Richard coming to America. I knew he would not get the same reaction from others like we did in Uganda. I worried he would get a bad taste of attitudes from strangers. No one but us would be so excited to see him. While we were in the Butterfly show Richard confirmed my fears. "No one has says hi to me. They all stay quite and don't smile when I smile."
I said I was sorry in America you don't really talk to people you don't know.
He then said something that made me so proud!
"Your husband treated me like he already knew me, like we were friends. I like him!"
