It is interesting to experience what it's like to be in a minority group; it's rare for me to pass another white person on my walk to and from work, and a majority of my colleagues both at work and orchestra are Ugandans. Yesterday in the cafeteria I was queuing for lunch when a little girl who had come in with her mother spotted me and delightedly squealed "Muzungu!" (white person), and seized my hand and started swinging it to and fro. I wonder if I was the first muzungu she had ever seen - she was about two years old and very sweet!
Being white has advantages and disadvantages - on the positive side, it's easy for people to remember you so everyone always greets me by name. On the negative side, taxi drivers will often try to charge you the "muzungu price" so you have to be prepared to negotiate, and at night you really stand out so can be an easy target for muggers. Avoiding sunburn and malaria is also something that the locals don't have to worry about as much since they are born with natural defences.
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