Skirting the issue

I have to vent.
To the Swazi, skirts are a big deal. Women simply don’t wear pants. Ever.
So now that I know I’ll be here in Africa a while, I decided I have to wear skirts more often. Sigh.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against skirts. I own a few. But to be sentenced to a life time of skirts is a bit much for me. Yeah, sure I could wear pants, it’s not against the law, but the Swazi honestly respond differently to me in a skirt. It’s as if I’m not trying to separate myself as an “American woman” but trying to fit in with them.
So I bought another long skirt this past weekend in Nelspruit.
Sigh.
I hate that I look like a …a… missionary. All I need now is my long braid back and I’ll be set. Long skirt, long hair, no make- up, frumpy frumpy frumpy.
So I wore the skirt on Monday to my teacher’s meeting, and the women were very excited. They also noticed I was speaking SiSwati (I thought I had been for the past 3 months. Where have they been?)
Yesterday I wore pants, but today it was back to a skirt. I choose the long brown one that my mom had given me before I left. I tried to iron it, and found that it’s the kind of skirt that melts with a hot iron.
Nice.
Ruined skirt. Ruined brand new iron.
It’s not the first time I ruined a skirt. I also have a black iron deposited mark on my favorite white linen skirt. And it’s not like I can just throw them out. Then I would have even less to wear than I already do, so I just have to suck it up and wear them. The shopping here is really limited, so it’s not like I can just go out and buy more.
You know, it’s one thing to be condemned to a life of long frumpy skirts. But I hate that now I have to wear long, frumpy, melted, scorched skirts.
I don’t consider myself vain, but is it too much to ask to have clothes that don’t get ruined!!!! Is it too much to want to look at yourself in the mirror and say, “hmmm. I look nice today.” C’mon! I’m a woman! But with rain every day, my hair stylist moving back to the states in 1 ½ weeks and Este Lauder foundation running $60 US dollars a bottle this is quickly becoming unrealistic for me.
So here is a picture of me from Hawaii, New years, and Christmas where I think I look rather cute, albeit cheeky. Please print them off and hang them on your fridges, because I want you to remember me that way. When I return for a visit next year, I won’t look anything like this. I’ll be a mess!
I quit trying! That’s it! No more trying to look pretty here in anti-pretty Africa. I quit! No more shaving my legs, plucking my eyebrows, painting my toenails, or trying to wear anything cute! In fact I’m going to quit Children’s Cup all together and join the Peace Corps. Yes that’s more like it. I’ll have hairy underarms, shoes made out of hemp, wear patchouli oil and live in a homestead with a squatty potty. Yes that is the life style to go with my new look!
Grrrrr!