Mzungu

Mzungu is a word used here in Uganda meaning "white person."  As we drove into a suburb of Kampala to visit the home of one of the children sponsored by Empower African Children, Mzungu was often shouted by the children accompanied with a wave.  As we were in this little community, I asked one of our Ugandan EAC US scholarship students about how they feel about Americans.  Teddy told me that many of these people here, especially those who live outside Kampala have only seen white people on TV.  They were probably mesmerized with us just as we were with them.
 In Uganda when visiting someone's home, it's customary to bring along food with your visit.  The market we visited was different from the day before.  This was smaller, less crowded, but just as friendly.  I bought a large can of cooking oil, (something else I don't know what it was), and some bananas.  All in all, this cost about 20,000 shillings, or around $9.  As we arrived to this home children were out playing, adults were washing their clothes or selling different items at the local trading post.  Around the corner was a movie theatre playing an American or European movie translated into the native language here.  It was interesting for two reasons.  First, people can pay 500 Shillings (about 25 cents) to sit and watch a movie that could be heard for a few blocks and second, the theatre  about ten times the size of our student's house.

However, does Mzungu=happy or content?

Although I haven't traveled much, whether I've been in Costa Rica, Mexico, the Bahamas, or Uganda, I have noticed a common theme that people are quite happy.  I spent a summer in the Bahamas and had a great conversation with a women whom I had known for three months.  She said "we don't want to be Americans.  We don't need stuff to make ourselves happy."  Although I was shocked with the size of this house, I was happily surprised that these people were overwhelming content.  As one who has too many bow ties, suits and electronics I find that I have too much.  I have a lot to learn from these people who have little in possessions, but much in love.  When speaking of her family, the mother yesterday held a photo of her son tightly in her arms.  It's not cars, clothes, or possessions that make us happy.  Rather, it's people, friends, family, loved ones.