Americanization

To walk out the front gate is a different adventure each day. Some days, people could care less that I exist and others, it's as if the whole world or time stops as I pass. Men drilling stop to take a look; women in the middle of their morning gossip pause to gawk. Children repeat the only phrase they know, "How are you?"-some without full comprehension of what they're saying and others too shy to respond when the question is returned. For the children, it becomes a game, or a dare. how many points does one get for asking the question? for touching the mzungu's hand? or getting a wave? Children run up to stroke my arm, grab my hand, or just to get a closer look. Some volunteers have even had their arms licked because we might taste differently or our skin might taste like ice cream. I have even had one girl jump away from my out-stretched hand afraid to be touched by the white.

Past the children, adults murmur mzungu, make cat calls or just plain ask me to walk over to their stand to buy their merchandise. Some laugh or nervously giggle. Not one day goes by that I am not asked for money, whether by adults or children. For this, I thank missionaries. Some groups that come, flash their money, bunches of gifts and leave after they've "helped" some poor people. When problems continue, and band-aid methods wear off, who is left to help? Put this idea together with the
televangelists who litter television channels with the idea that god wants you to be rich, have a big house and multiple cars. Add the half-naked women on the television screen and a stereotype emerges. Ideas of belief will grant you all these things juxtaposed with the provocative dancing make quite a negative impression of Americans. No wonder there is such a poor image of Americans! It makes sense, then, why I've heard speeches of, "We need money, and if we wait god will provide, and white volunteers will give us money."

How easy it is for Americans to be blamed for so much? Japanese officials are concerned over American influence on their constituents because of an average weight gain. Yet, when they've instituted classes run by Taebo Master, Billy Banks, there is no mention of him being an American and the influence of exercise. CNN reports on English banks having problems with lending money and how the average debt in England has increased because US lenders told them to lend more with lower interest rates. Interesting.

One might think that if the US president were to speak, it would put everything into perspective and restore a sense of rationality outside of the US. Unfortunately, we can't even put any hope in that. Bushisms are the best resource and indicator of why this is true. If countries get fatter its the US, if there is a bomb, it's the US, if there is poverty, it's the US. White Man's Burden comes to mind- born into privilege by the color of my skin, I belong to the group responsible for all the problems in the world and therefore need to fix them. Maybe, for some of us as individuals, we can try and do some damage control, but unfortunately, that is one struggle I'm not sure I want to continue fighting. People won't change their minds unless they want to- I'll stick with being seen as only worth money and focus on my own guilt for not being able to do more.