Imagine Blogs

Sometimes the smallest things irritate me... yes, things that should really not have an effect on me. As usual I am always browsing around the net: I spend a lot more time there than I should.So I found this expat blogger, an American who decided to follow the simple life in Kenya. At first, I was curious about her perspective as an outsider on Kenya. I can't criticize that.. coz really, we all make assumptions about a people until we really get to know them. 

But in this post  she had really had me going. She says:

My friend told me that I cannot treat them [house servants-- my words] as equals or even not micro-manage them as they will always take advantage, almost like he was telling me to treat them like dogs. I was stunned. I was also upset that someone took advantage of me. Well, after the phone call and the “..come to Jesus” meeting, I started treating them like I was told and everything worked out ok…almost better and the workers seemed to be happier? Crazy stuff, I tell you.
I do not think I could get used to treating people that way, but that is the way Mzungu treat all the help. It is sad because if you do not treat them that way, they tend to take advantage of you, more and more. I have heard stories of folks who get nickel and dimed to death by the help after giving a small assistance. 

Want to know why I am angry? I understand her anger, and that of other wazungus, that her employee took advantage of her. Here's the thing, I am as Kenyan as Kenyan can be. Once when I was kid, a maid took off with all , well almost all, our clothes. And left my siblings and I alone at home while Ma was at work (we were all under 10). But that never gave Ma the permission to treat house servants like dogs. Never. Not even when several times different people tried to steal from her. She would let the bad ones go, but I learned from her that even in the worst circumstances we have a choice. We make a choice.

So Texan Mzungu, I hope your attitude has changed, and you haven't learned from your friends to treat your employers as "dogs" to deter them from taking advantage of you. (And this is not about race. Believe me native Kenyans are also horrible employers to their house servants) 

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