...I'll take that as a compliment...

Yesterday afternoon, a woman I don't know told me "yu fat-o!" as I passed by her on the street. I mean, really. I have been a lot of things in my life, but fat has never been one of them. I was the girl who was asked if she was anorexic in high school for goodness sake! Oh, and this is not the first time I've heard this either. About three weeks ago a group of women who work at a stand I walk by on my way to and from school called out "yu look fat!" as I was on my way home. *sigh* Apparently, it's supposed to be a compliment. If you're fat it means you're wealthy enough to afford plenty of food...and I can afford food...so I guess I'm fat.
Yipee. PS: I weigh less than I have in the last 5 years. Go figure.

Oh wait, there's more. When I first arrived here, my friend Adama told me that I looked skinnier than when I was in Sierra Leone in 2005 (ok, that's fine). But the way she said it to me was "You were fat when you came before." And she didn't mean it in a flattering way. Ok...so am I fat now, or what? I'm so confused.

Finally, there's been an irritating trend occuring when I go out with Hanneke. About a month ago I was asked not once, but twice in one afternoon if I was Hanneke's "pikin." Yes, the people wanted to know if I was Hanneke's child. A week before the "twice-in-one-afternoon" incident I'd already been asked the same question by a construction worker near our house. Sheesh. I'm just short, people. Believe me, there are lots of short people here...you would think they would be able to differentiate between short and being 6 years old. Hanneke is a month older than me. She's also 6'0", but c'mon...

And that is all I have to rant about.

Thanks for reading!