8th aug in the day

8th August (don’t forget to post the nightmare blog)

Museum day

Today, we went to the museum in kisumu! It was such a lovely day today, my lord the sun is bright here, and because the ground is hard golden brown mud it reflects the sunlight, and so one is blinded in every direction! We got a matatu to Kisumu and enjoyed the museum!
I even got some African garments!! Now that my hair has grown back, I blend into the crowd easily and look like a Kenyan, specifically a Kenyan from the Luo tribe –lol.

Anyways, what I wanted to talk about today was my particular annoyance towards some of the idiot men that exist in this country. I think I have blogged before that, women here are kinda seen as second class citizens. Men push in front of us in queues, they lean over us, talk over us the don’t help us with shopping, they don’t say please or thank you to us, they call us from the side of the rd expecting us to reply –ergh these type of men, the everyday towns folk, usually without jobs and enough body odour to kill a cow, disgust me. Seriously, I understand that an element of their behavior is culture related but the fucking joke is, that these men voted yes, for the new constitution, which by the way calls for the equality of men and women, and oh my lord I need to describe how these men behave in the presence of muzungos (white people).

I am in an interesting position here in Kenya, I am British female medical student from London, with Nigerian parents, speak like a muzungo but am mistaken for a Luo tribe girl by all Kenyans. My status here enables me to experience Kenya culture via different hats. As a women, who looks like a child, I am not even acknowledged by men. When I open my mouth, I am the muzungo with black skin and ignored. When I am with Ashley –the true muzungo, I exsit even less. When I am in the hospital I am respected by most people –be it after the pure disbleif of my Dr status is accepted. Ergh I am constantly being mistaken as a Luo girl, this fucking irritates me, cos, I love my non status here, it allows me to merge into the crowds and just enjoy village life. But when I try and buy stuff and actually have to talk, people talk to me in Luo and I have no idea what they are talking about and have to keep saying English please, and i know that there persons response is –speak your mother tongue and stop denying your culture. Annoying.

But what is even more annoying, is that these men, these egotistic, smelly, women repressing men act like stupid morons in the presence of white men. Seriously, its like a subconscious throw back to slave trade times, and is so embarrassing. Anytime Ashley (muzongo) is about, these Kenyan men almost fall over themselves, push me out the way to bend down and greet Ashley with something along the lines of ‘hello sir’ you are very much welcome to Kenya, are you from America?’ -Ashley is from Hull and replies in the thickest northern accent, ‘I am from the UK’. To which the reponce is, ‘obama country?’. At this point Ive had enough and have to walk away but Ashley is too polite and in no time crowd of men will have surrounded him, all cracking stupid jokes and Ashley being the polite boy that he is, laughing politely which just encourages more crap.
Ok you prob think that I am being rude and these men are being friendly and prob haven’t seen a white man before. BUT THEY HAVE! The children I understand, they honestly haven’t and are just amazing but these men should know better. They almost grovel in Ashleys presence and always end the convo with something like, I have small money and can you lend me a few bob Mr Muzongo. I really hate it, I just bite my tongue now and or walk away. I really don’t want to come across rude this is just my observation that I have noticed, Kenyan men adopt this ‘I am not worthy of your presence but am gonna try and ingratiate myself to you and make you laugh with my shit jokes and then ask for money’ persona and it pisses me off.
Maybe I am being too hard and please don’t believe that all men here are like this. Im interested on you guys thoughts on this matter.