Busy
I have decided that as a white American living in the village I have the identity of a celebrity and not of that of an actual person. Since I have this status people who don’t know me feel free to comment and criticize me all the while expecting me to be nice to them and conform to their ideals on how I should act.
Case in point, I was walking and met a group of teenage girls. I politely greeted them and started to go on my way home. Instead one of the more robust ones interrupts me: “You are getting very fat,” all the while using her arms to emphasize, “You need to exercise more.” Then they all walked away laughing.
In return, I wanted to scream, to hurl insults back at her, but in my situation I can’t do that. I have to constantly be in an utter state of decorum or I could possibly lose the credibility I have gained in which to accomplish everything I hope to accomplish. So I walked silently homeward feeling very bad about myself and understanding how being a celebrity in the lime light could drive a person to anorexia and plastic surgery.
Case in point, I was walking and met a group of teenage girls. I politely greeted them and started to go on my way home. Instead one of the more robust ones interrupts me: “You are getting very fat,” all the while using her arms to emphasize, “You need to exercise more.” Then they all walked away laughing.
In return, I wanted to scream, to hurl insults back at her, but in my situation I can’t do that. I have to constantly be in an utter state of decorum or I could possibly lose the credibility I have gained in which to accomplish everything I hope to accomplish. So I walked silently homeward feeling very bad about myself and understanding how being a celebrity in the lime light could drive a person to anorexia and plastic surgery.
posted by Cait at 2:11 PM
1 Comments:
Oh, Cait.
I understand and sympathize. And let me tell you - you don't have to be in a village to get these kinds of comments. They're abound here in Maputo, as well as back at "home" in Brazil where I lived for many years. A lot of those "you're getting fat" comments actually really messed with me when I was a teenager...people don't understand the power of their words sometimes.
Sounds like you had a great vacation. You made me want to skydive!
Hang in there...
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