Fighting Misconceptions

As a white person (mzungu) in Kenya, daily I have to fight stereotypes. The majority of people here think all mzungus are rich and that they don't know how to cook or clean for themselves. When I buy things or take a boda boda, I have to heavily bargain to get a fair price. It can be exhausting. Whenever George and I shop for something, he walks ahead of me and asks for the price while I wait, hidden. Otherwise, they will see he is with a mzungu and triple the price. The other day, we were looking for a picture frame. While he bargained for one, I asked another guy how much his frames were – just out of curiosity. He looked at me and said 2000 shillings. I laughed out loud. A brand new one in the store is 500. We often buy things on the street because they are cheaper. So, I was willing to pay around 200. This guy assumed I was a rich, clueless mzungu and totally hiked the price. It's very frustrating. George ended up getting one for 200 and we moved on.

A few days ago, I needed to get a ride somewhere so I asked a piki piki (motorcycle) how much it would be to go across town. Even though, a Kenyan would pay 30-40 shillings I expect to be charged more and was willing to pay 50. This guy told me 100 so I moved on to another guy right next to him. I asked the same question and he said 50. So we went. He knew the other guy over charged me and the whole ride we discussed being a mzungu and prices. He, too, believed all white people are rich. I told him that I was not and I don't live in a rich area of Kisumu. He said white people bargain too much. I told him we have to because we get ripped off and everyday get judged because of our skin color. In the US, it's illegal to charge someone a higher price because of their race. I asked him, wouldn't he bargain to get the lowest price in the best interests of his family? He said yes he would. It was a very interesting conversation.

Last week, I went to Suzy's house to get it prepared for her arrival. She had been in the US for the past six weeks and we wanted to clean it for her. Caro, another sister in law, came over to help me. While Caro did the floors, I did the kitchen, cleaned the toilets, wiped down the sinks, made the beds and took out the trash. I didn't think it was a big deal and it only took us an hour and a half. Caro told me that she had mentioned to a family friend that she was helping me clean Suzy's house and this person was shocked. Stacie can clean, she asked? She had never seen a mzungu do their own cleaning.

House help is a very common thing in Kenya. Because jobs are so few, many women work as housekeepers (called house help here) for very little money. Because house help make so little, a lot of house holds have house help. Even ones that don't have a lot of money. When I came to Kenya, I was uncomfortable letting Grace, the house help in the Nairobi house we stayed at, clean up or do my laundry. I even hated the term house help. In the US, only the very rich have daily housekeepers. Here, the rich and the poor have house help. It's very odd for me. In the US, we do our own cleaning and cooking (with the exception of some people having someone come a couple times a month to help.). Kenyans don't know that. They assume mzungus have had house help their whole lives.

Another sad misconception I have to fight in Kenya is that often, black Kenyans feel like white people are in a higher class than them. Most of the white Kenyans (from the days of British colonization) are very rich. There is definitely a different culture and class between white Kenyas and black Kenyans. Kenya also has a lot of people coming to work here from other countries and generally they have more money than the average Kenyan. Because the mzungus usually have more money, black Kenyans are hired to work for them for little money. Unfortunately, some mzungus treat black Kenyans badly because they know there are no other jobs and they need the money. I have seen this first hand and it's really terrible. This leads to black Kenyans feeling lower than mzungus. As a result, some black Kenyans feel intimidated by mzungus. I have met people who will hardly talk to me because they feel like we are in a different class and perhaps I am like the other mzungus they have known or heard about. Later, once they have been around me more, they have told me they are surprised we could be friends because I am not like the other mzungus they know. That makes me so sad. That anyone would make them feel lower, is just awful.

In this post, I am mentioning stereotypes and making generalizations based on what I have seen and what others have shared with me. It doesn't mean all Kenyans are like this. Living in Kisumu is very different than Nairobi. In Nairobi, there are tons of mzungus so the difference is not as extreme. In Kisumu, there a lot less mzungus and the stereotypes are stronger. Most of the mzungus that come here are working for ngos non-government organizations) and have a lot of money. So, for me to make a difference here, I have to consistently be kind, work hard and show people that we are on the same level. It makes me be aware of my actions and challenges me to be a good example for Christ at all times.

It's hard for George too. Being married to a mzungu, he has to deal with many misconceptions and assumptions. Sometimes he has to handle people making derogatory and ignorant comments. He has to walk a fine line of being protective and firm, yet humble and wise.

Kenya is great and we love it. No matter where we would be, life has challenges and these are some of the ones we face right now. It just makes me sad that these stereotypes are rooted in truth. We can't change the past, but we can try to change how some people think now by being different than what they have experience before. It's a hard task, but God is giving us the strength we need.