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July 23rd, 2008

03:49 pm - A mzungu, but not a bule I was hearing a Kenyan friend explain the Indonesian word bule (pronounced boo-lay). "It's the same as mzungu", she says, translating it into Kiswahili. "Aha, but it's not the same," I replied, "I'm a mzungu, but am not a bule." Confusing? So here's the thing. In Indonesia, a bule is a white foreigner. So I'm not one. In fact, most people regarded me as almost local. But in Kenya, a mzungu is any pale skinned foreigner. Thusly, I am a mzungu, and am definitely seen very very very much as a foreigner. Working and living in Africa is different to working in Asia for me. In my previous postings in Indonesia, Philippines, and even Afghanistan, I looked local. Almost. But in Africa, I stick out like dog's balls. I've been wondering if this creates a distance between myself and the people I work with. Also, I find that being Asian is a strange thing. Perceptions of me change with context. As the The Freshly Married Husband tells me, "In Australia, I think you are brown. In Indonesia, you were like everyone. But now in Africa, you are pale as". Current Location: Nairobi, Kenya Current Mood: amused Tags: africa, other, race

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