Insult or Compliment?

June 2, 2011

I was in search of pants. I brought several pairs of jeans and several skirts, but I needed some light-weight fabric that I could wear on the warmer Ugandan days. So, Kerrie and I headed to a store called Mr. Price in one of the downtown shopping malls in hopes of finding some reasonably priced capris.

After perusing the racks for a while, I finally decided to try on a couple pairs of capris. The sizes here in Uganda are not the same as the ones at home, and instead of a size (6, 8, etc.) they give you a measurement. I had NO idea what size I might be, so I picked up one that looked about right and headed into the dressing room. The dressing room attendant took a pair of capris from my hand, held them up, and said, “I think you need a bigger size.” I was flabbergasted! Did he really just say that to me?!?

I respond with a laugh, and I said, “Well, I really don’t know what size I am here in Uganda.” So I grab the pair back from him, go back to the rack, and get a bigger size. I go back and he looks at them skeptically.

I get into the dressing room and quickly try them on. The white capris are see-through, so they are definitely out. I put on the gray pair, and they fit, though they are a little snug. I decide that I could probably go up one more size for a perfect fit. However, when I come out of the dressing room, that same attendant smugly asks, “Toooo smaaaaalllllll?”

I was really quite annoyed with him thinking that I was just a fat mzungu, so I tell him, “NO, actually, they fit just fine.” I walked right out of the dressing room, put the pants back on the rack, and walk up to the register to purchase a t-shirt.

I probably was a little rash in putting the pants back and not even trying on any others, but I was so perturbed at his attitude and his insult.

Later, Kerrie and I went to lunch where we met up with some other mzungus. When I told them the story of how he insulted me, they said that it was not an insult at all, but rather a compliment.

I’m not so sure.