Famous

Did you ever think about life as a metaphor for television?
-Chuck Palahniuk

Last month for Christmas I went to stay with my fellow PCV friend Amanda, who lives right outside of Kampala. She lives in a very loud and busy alley that’s replete with friendly women and their curious children. When I stayed with her, I met the great majority of them. Amanda told me that, ever since I left, her neighbors tell her, “We see Nakivumbi on tv all the time! She’s on tv!”

Now, first I should explain that many people in Uganda are quite terrible at telling white people apart from each other. They also often think that any two non-Ugandans look alike. When I show them a picture of me and Min (who is Chinese), they tell me, “you resemble.” Any time there is a lighter skinned (but still Ugandan!) baby at one of our immunization days, the people tell me it must be my child because we look so much alike. They are joking about it actually being mine, of course, but not entirely—they really do think that all light-skinned babies look like me.

So, when Amanda’s neighbors told her that I was on tv, of course she didn’t believe them. Apparently they tell her that they see me quite often, too. To further her skepticism, ever since Nora visited her, her neighbors have also been saying that Nora too is on tv! Amanda relayed the story to me and Nora, and we all had a good laugh about Ugandans who can’t tell muzungus apart.

But…
The other day I got a text message from Amanda: “So it is true after all.”

Amanda has now seen it for herself- I am actually on Ugandan tv. My, Nora’s, and Christina’s backs are on a commercial for the Kampala guesthouse that we stayed at when we first got to Uganda! I don’t know how Amanda’s neighbors recognized our backs, but they did, and they were astonishingly right! Funny thing is, none of us remember any video cameras at the guest house. But, however it happened, we’re on tv!! in Uganda!!!