Apparently we are even weirder when we travel to the countryside than when we are in Kampala! My dad says that people actually stop and do a 180 as we pass by, in order to get in maximum staring time. However strange it will be to be a multi-racial family in America, it will be less dramatic than being a multi-racial family in Africa!
All of our drivers and tour guides tried to figure out politely why we had these black children with us. As well-educated and used to westerners as they were, I don't think any of them understood when we mentioned foster children or adoption; the only explanation that seems to work is that their parents have abandoned them and I have the paperwork that means I am their new parent now. Some of them nod and commiserate about how parents could possibly do that and thank me, and some of them look even more confused, like "why would a rich muzungo lady be spending all this time with these poor African children?"
So, this is why we were as much of an attraction for the locals, as the local attractions were for us!
1. Emerson. He deserved a whole heading to himself. It doesn't seem to have occurred to most people that muzungos start out as children; they must think that they emerge, fully-formed with faux African haridos, low-slung pants, and cell phones in one hand with a cigarette in the other. Emerson is not only amusingly small, he is shockingly obvious, with his bright hair turning almost white in the constant sunlight, and his constant chatter and confidence. Confident children are not the norm here.
2. A white woman is wearing a baby! People stop and stare for this reason alone, even before they see the baby. The women often do several double-takes and then smile approvingly and nudge all their friends.
3. The white woman is wearing her baby in the WRONG WAY! What is all that fabric doing? One can see that some women are evaluating "hmm, would I like to try that?" while others are thinking "she is obviously crazy and stupid."
4. The baby that she is wearing DOES NOT MATCH THE WOMAN. You can see that this is its own special biggest double-take, as I pass the observer and they get their first view of Buttercup from the rear (especially when she's sleeping). This is when the talking and pointing gets more animated, and I hear the words "white woman" and "baby" and "African" in their excited chatter.
5. Well-dressed, well-groomed black children. In Kampala there are plenty of middle-class children, but out in the villages our children stood out -- WAAY out -- among the other local children. We saw plenty of Ugandan or African tourists, but I think they all leave their children at home.
6. Tall man with white beard. Again, aren't all muzungos between the ages of 19 and 35 and total hipsters?
And of course, the 64 million dollar question....
7. Why does this white family have these black children trailing around with them anyways?
We are leaving behind plenty of gossip and conversation for the next month or so!
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