Adventures in Awkward

THIS  
post had me rolling on the floor laughing.

(ok, not really, but I did laugh out loud multiple times).

 I can SO identify with the author's "Adventures in Awkward". There are so many things to learn in a new culture, and we have discovered that vital to survival in our new culture is a sense of humor. After reading this post, I realized that my blog needed a little infusion of everyday humor once in a while, and so I thought I would share this particular "Adventure in Awkward" that took place several months back on one of our trips to Kampala.

Before diving in, I do have a preface:

This post talks about parts of the body that are [typically] taboo to discuss in Western culture but perfectly acceptable to discuss in Ugandan culture, so sensor yourself if you need to...

I will start out by saying that one of the mistakes I make when we travel to Kampala is forgetting that we are still not in a Western culture, at least in terms of dress and what is appropriate to show and what is not. I'm just really excited that I get to wear something other than a skirt (like a pair of trousers or something), and at least in the fashion department, I feel a little bit less "cramped" if you will. So, we had spent a long day in the car, were driving past one of the new malls in the city, and decided to see if there was some place to eat inside. Sure enough, there was a splendid little "food court" type place that seemed like it would fit the bill perfectly. We chose a table toward the back corner since there was some kind of party going on up toward the front (a large group of people seemingly enjoying themselves). Out of the corner of my eye, I notice one of the women "wip it out" to start nursing a baby. This was not odd as public nursing is very much accepted in this culture. No big deal. And then the awkward part happened: the baby finished nursing and she handed it to one of the siblings. And she forgot to put the breast away. And there it was. As if it was a third arm or something, ready to just grab something off the table.  

I don't think this scene would have felt awkward to me normally, it's just that we were in a very Western-style mall of sorts, and she was a businesswoman-type person who I'm not used to seeing breastfeed in public, so it just felt awkward. And so, there it remained, for probably the rest of the party, without anyone in the whole place so much as even taking notice of it. The baby would get passed around, passed over the table, come back to her for a little snack (baby's gotta eat too...), and everyone just carried on as if there was nothing odd with this scene at all. By the way, no one in my family (including my husband) seemed to think this was odd, either.

Is there something wrong with me?

 

*PS- this is me looking very awkward, but somehow trying to fit in with the cultural dress around here. 

Alas, I've given up on the head attire for now...

Something similar happened recently when we were at our medical conference. I went to pick Lucy up from the pool one afternoon as her Children's Class was ending their day splashing around over there. So, the scene is about 20 kindergartners with their teachers, and then a few European vacationers who were sharing the water as well. Awkward #1: the 8yr old girl who was swimming around with all the kindergartners without a bathing suit on. Yes, I said 8, and yes, she was buck naked (a little old...er, young?? for the nude swimming, maybe?) So, while I was trying to figure out that puzzle piece, out strolls her grandmother (YES, I said her grandmother) who also was nude from top-up. What in the world?! One of  Lucy's teachers must have seen my jaw drop because she walked up to me and said, "Yes. We've already addressed it. She is apparently exerting her 'citizen's rights' and since none of the kids seem to notice, we are not making a big deal out of it..."  

Holy. Moly. 

We are not in America anymore... 

(even though it feels like it because I am surrounded by Americans right now...) And, yes, the really funny thing was, once again, I (and the teachers) were the only ones who felt awkward about this scenario. None of the kids (all being raised in African cultures...) even batted an eye.

Oh, the complexities of growing up as a Third Culture Kid. 

Some things you  just learn to not notice... (I wonder what my kids will think when we return home on furlough and see a nursing cover for the first time- that will certainly be a ridiculous site for them!)