Is Someone Watching me?

When you are living in a foreign country, it can feel like you and your family are always on display.  That is because they are. 

Can you find the white children in the crowd?

  Most places we go here, we stand out.  Even in our own gated community, the gardeners and guards often watch (stare) at the kids and I when we go out to play.  You sort of get used to it. 
         Most Americans, if they saw someone of interest, would maybe glance at them, and then continue on with their life.  (For instance, we've been taught not to stare at someone with disabilities, or of a different race, etc.)  Ok.... Tanzanians don't do that.

                     They stare.   Openly and gawking.  The kids as well as the adults.
                                    They watch your every move, and may proceed to comment to each other about you in Swahili (um, I know Swahili....)

                It's hard to just ignore it and go about your life.  But, that is what you have to do if you want to live your life.

    Today, I took Jonathan to the playground in our gated community to play.  We were being watched by three ladies who were sitting on the bench openly staring at us.  They gasped when I let him jump from the swings, and laughed when I pitched him a ball and he missed.  Thankfully, Jonathan is clueless to all of this.  I feel very self conscious, but just keep playing with Jonathan as if they weren't there.  I know they don't mean anything by it.  They just find it fascinating to watch us.