Feeding the stereotype

03/03/2013

This subject is quite sensitive, I write about it from my own point of view which is formed solely from my experience in Awassa.

Being a white face in an area that is used to seeing foreign volunteers has its pros and cons. Just walking down the street you will get children and adults greeting you kindly, thanking you for choosing to come to their country and help. You also however get abuse, verbal and physical from just as many people.

I myself have been slapped, had rocks thrown at me and had my breast groped by complete strangers in the street – all of which are not particularly positive images to share, and not something I thought I would experience in my time here. In the beginning this was really tough to deal with, it made me angry that the community that I had come to help had people who would treat me like this. These one off events would ruin my whole day, leaving me upset and desperate to go home.

On the contrary, I have had children run and hug me, happy to see someone to practice their English with, as well as men offering to take me to dinner and show me around the area. There were other people shouting “Konjo” (beautiful) at me, and asking how I am. Some adults have enquired as to why I am here, taking a genuine interest in the fact that I am a volunteer and wishing me well for my time in Ethiopia. On these occasions my low spirits are definitely lifted and my faith in the people here restored.

Many of the comments I have heard are catchphrases that have been learnt by many to communicate with foreigners. They are not always used in the right context but the right sentiment is there. Sometimes I am happy to stop and chat, other times I find that the attention I am getting is not well intended. Chants of “One Birr” and “You, give me money” make me not want to stop – for I cannot fulfil their requests.

I find myself ignoring people who are talking at me, not something I would normally do but feel is reasonable in the circumstance because they can be very persistent otherwise. Of course there is some retaliation when I have ignored people, I have had young boys call me a ‘motherfucker’ and say “we can rape you”. I have certainly given my share of retorts to comments like this, those that know me well will know that I am not one to walk away from situations without giving my fair share - particularly when the above groping situation occurred  I lashed out in return at the perpetrator, letting it known to him and those around that I will not allow anyone to treat me this way. 

Why don’t I just give them some money? Well I am of the opinion that this just feeds the stereotype of western people being ‘rich’ and therefore being capable to give money out to everyone. It is also a very short term solution to provide.

One altercation I had with a bajaj driver confirmed the stereotype I am talking about. The journey I made was no more than 2birr; this is the amount I handed him when I got out the vehicle. He then said “no, 10birr” so I laughed and said “no, 2birr, Habesha (locals) pay 2birr” and he said “white people always pay more, give tip, must be 10birr” so I just said “well not this white person” and walked away. This showed his expectation of being over paid for taking me as a fare, and sadly I disappointed him. This is not the only time it has happened either, I even find myself being targeted by Bajaj drivers as they want to pick up the white people over the locals. No doubt plenty of other white people have been kind enough to over pay for their short journey. Is this kindness or again feeding a stereotype?

This type of situation frustrates me, because in my mind it is racist. Can you imagine if the cab drivers in London decided your fare should be more or less depending on your race? It would be scandalous! After the above mentioned scenario a man stopped to ask me if I was okay and what the problem was, so I explained to him and said I was fine and thanked him for asking. He said to me “you must remember that some people are not educated and therefore they do not understand their attitude is not always in the right place”. Part of me agrees, but another part of me thinks that pleading ignorance does not make this behaviour excusable.

I find myself regularly saying to people “I am a volunteer, I work for free, I have no money with me, and I am here to offer my skills to help you not money”. This usually gets across that they are asking the wrong person for direct aid. It does not come easy to say this either, when you think ‘there is no harm in giving them a few birr’ but really there is as it once again feeds the stereotype they have of the West.

It makes it difficult to engage with locals, in the back of your mind you are always wondering “what will they ask me for? Do they want something more than just to know me?”

A few of the other UK volunteers I am with will give the odd person in the street a few birr and sometimes even some food if they have lunch left over. When people talk to them they will stop and chat, maybe even exchange phone numbers and pleasantries. There is of course nothing wrong with doing this, but where do you draw the line?

Last night someone we met through our placement phoned one of the volunteers I was with and asked to join us. We were at a hotel using the Wi-Fi and relaxing, so he came to see us. Within a few minutes of arriving he had given her a story about his mother phoning him just before he had phoned her, and that she was unwell. He is in paid employment, but proceeded to ask her directly for money so he could go to visit his mother. This then went from asking her for help to directly wanting the 4 of us to give him money when she explained she did not have that much money to ‘lend’ him. The situation was awkward, she wanted to leave and it was at this point I felt I had to say something. "Sorry, but we cannot lend you money, we work for free, we only have a little money and it has to last us for another 7 weeks until we go home. Please stop asking, you are making us uncomfortable” – he then left.

I cannot say whether his story was true or not, but what I do know is that he only joined us to ask for money , he did not want to spend time with us at all– this really upset my friend and it is what has prompted me to write this account.

As a whole most of the people I have met have been welcoming, I do not want to be seen as making huge generalisations, but from experience we are seen as cash cows. Maybe it is because they are used to Westerners coming here for short periods of time, either as volunteers or holidaymakers, ‘splashing some cash’ and then leaving. Could it be that the western attitude towards foreign aid and travelling the world is actually contributing to the stereotype against us?

I think it is a shame that the people here think that all we can offer is money, between us we have various other skills to offer as a team of volunteers, but as they say money makes the world go round…

Kx