Misconceptions

Ever since my first trip to Uganda, I’ve realized that some Ugandans have some pretty far our ideas about life in America. I’ve been asked lots of crazy questions. People think we are all very rich. They assume we all have maids and drivers and live in mansions. I’ve been asked if I personally know President Obama. I’ve had to explain that there are people who go hungry in the U.S and that we have crime too. I’ve had to tell them that we have people with HIV and AIDS. They think we wear clothes one time and then throw them away. They’ve been told we eat monkeys and snakes. It goes on and on.

At Herb and Ellen’s right now there are 6 girls in training to be housemaids. Harriett trains them in cooking, cleaning, manners, etc. and Ellen leads them in bible study. These young girls are precious. Recently one of them asked me about marriage in the US. She’d been told that the woman gets to decide who to marry and is basically in charge of the relationship. She’s also been told that American women can have as many husbands as they like, and that we can marry our siblings or cousins. So, I tried to explain our dating, engagements, etc. I explained that men do not have to pay a dowry like they do here. All of this was fascinating to her. I told her that she could ask me any other questions she had about Americans because I’d rather her know the truth than here these misconceptions from others.

Yesterday, I decided to try to make homemade laundry and dish soap. Ellen and I thought it could potentially be a good way to save money and also give another skill to these girls. So while were in the kitchen experimenting with the girls, the questions began. Oh my! Here are a few of the questions:

1) Do you plant your own food or is it all done by machines?

2) Do you have any animals like cattle or goats?

3) How do you have these animals when there is no land and you all live on top of each other? (they were thinking of big cities like New York, not good old Kansas)

4) Does anyone ever do drugs?

5) Is there rape in America? Are there thieves?

6) Why do all Americans have godmothers?

7) Does anyone hunt? (they could not believe that sometimes women hunt!)

8) Do people really get pregnant, have the baby removed and then put it in a freezer? (this was a question about in vitro fertilization, but they were quite confused about the process)

9) Do you have to collect firewood every day? (you should have seen their faces when I explained our fireplaces are just for heat and looks)

10) How many tribes do you have? and then, What do you mean there are no tribes?

11) Do you have “night dancers”? This one confused me. So I asked what they meant by “night dancer”. They said, it’s someone who dances at night, sometimes without clothes. I was thinking of a stripper. So I said, “Yes”. Then they said, “And they really eat people?”. Whoa. Ok, something got lost in translation. Let’s just say it took me a bit longer to sort that one out.

So, I have my work cut out for me. I told them to think of more questions. It kind of scares me to think that some people have these misconceptions about Americans. But when all you know about us is from TV and movies, I guess I can see how it happens. Shows like “Real Housewives”, “Twilight”, and “Alvin and the Chipmunks” are not helping me out. Then I think of the Americans that come to Africa and expect only mud huts and to see people with spears draped in loin cloth riding on elephants. We have a lot to learn about each other.

Here’s a picture of the girls. They are wearing Cody’s old undershirts as uniforms or smocks. It makes me smile each time I see it.

Girls in Training