The privilege of being 'white'

I think in every country/language there is a slang word for a non-native person/a foreigner...it mostly sounds derogatory but often is not used with this intention - at least, the naive person in me hopes it's not being misused...

Gai jin = Japanese (foreign/alien person)
Gwai Lo = Cantonese (ghost man)

Mzungu/muzungu = Kinyarwanda, or in other Bantu languages (I'm not sure if there is a direct translation - but 'zungu' refers to spinning on the same spot - i.e. dizziness but the word can also be conjugated to an action of 'behaving richly' - hence the assumption that all foreigners have money!  Another translation I've found means 'one who wonders aimlessly.')

I'm often called muzungu here - children and adults alike call out to me on a daily basis even if they know my name.  Whilst I am not offended by the use of the term, there is a definite stigma and privilege attached to BEING a muzungu.

Skin-colour appears to play a large role in how someone perceives you.  I am speaking VERY generally and loosely now but I have known of many different races feeling inferior to people with 'white' skin.  It happened when I lived in Asia - parents wanted/preferred their child/ren to be taught by a 'white person' over someone with the same skin colour as their own, regardless as to the nationality or qualifications of either teacher.  And here, a training given by a Ugandan/Kenyan volunteer can't apparently be as good as a volunteer who has lighter skin from Europe/America.  The first question my Head Teacher asks whenever a new volunteer is coming is, 'are they white?'

Last week I experienced the ugly privilege of being a muzungu and whilst I accepted it, I felt ROTTEN through it all.

There are certain bus-drivers that know me now and know that I prefer to sit in the front with them than squashed in the back of the bus with 5-6 people on a row made for 3 people.  (The buses in question are 15 seaters...maximum - but regulation here allows for buses to take 19 people.)  On this occasion, I had turned up to the bus park to find that the bus that I needed to take was full.  The bus driver upon seeing me, ushered a person out of their seat and told me to sit there.  I did so thinking the person would be squeezed into another row...only to find that they left the bus completely.  Having driven out of the town, the bus stopped to continue squeezing in more passengers.  Again, I was ushered out of the bus and placed in the front with the driver whilst rows were being filled with 5-6 people.  I felt spoilt - but I did not complain, partly because I didn't know how to protest but also because I just wanted to get home.

I leave you now with a picture of something that does not discriminate by the colour of your skin, the accent that you have, the place you were born...it enters your home regardless and terrorises others...

This is dedicated to Elliott Chow because I know how much you liked the last picture I put of one on my blog...