I Don't Want To Be Famous

I've actually gotten fairly used to being invisible in the States. I've often joked that I could go into the spy business, because I'm the one the store clerk never notices; the one who can actually walk onto a used car lot unmolested; who can stand at the service desk for minutes at a time without actually being served. Invisible.

After a bit of down time, we loaded up onto the tour bus and rode over to the New Life Band's main office in Arusha. The tour bus had to head out to the airport to pick up a big group, so we bade our driver farewell for a few days. James, one of the band members, transported all 11 of us and his wife in his diesel Toyota mini-van. He told us an African truism: "In Africa, the bus is never full", meaning there is always room for Just One More. He drove us somewhere outside of Arusha, just down the street from the Hospital George Bush visited earlier this year. We made a left onto a dirt road, and parked the van in a field, next to the concert (already in progress). Because we weren't conspicuous enough already, being the only Wamzungu in the crowd of 1000 or more, we were escorted to a roped off area to the right of the stage. these had the only chairs in the whole place, other than on stage. And it appeared that everyone else had walked there, perhaps riding a bus to te main road and walking in.  Several of us moved to the back of the crowd instead, and enjoyed the music, all in Swahili of course. The New Life Band did a couple of numbers, as did several other groups. Later we had some sermons by a couple of revival preachers, again in Swahili. James rescued us after about 30-35 minutes of the second sermon and took us back to the hotel.

We were more than conspicuous in my opinion – we were a full-on side show. Early on, as Rick and I wandered to the back of the crowd, a well dressed 3 year old girl burst thru the crowd towards us and stopped short when she saw us. She stared, slack jawed, as if she had never seen a white person before. After a few moments she dashed back to the safety of her mother's skirt. All thru the concert, people stared at us. Many of the children got over their shyness and came over to check us out. The small children delighted in seeing their pictures on the digital camera screen.

I imagine the attention is akin to what TV or Stage stars experience when they try to sneak out to Starbucks or the corner deli. It was way outside my comfort zone, specially since I'm so comfortable with invisibility.

We arranged to have dinner at the hotel restaurant with the Band. All the band members and some of their wives and a few children joined us, making a cozy group of about 24. It was nice to have some time to chat with the Band, who actually are celebrities in this part of the world.

 

Today (July 4) we head out to the secondary school that the New Life Band is building.  The school is partially built (from what I understand), and they are adding classrooms as funds and students are availble.

 

Farewell for now, my friends.