It kind of feels like Leila and I are celebrities in our neighborhood.  When we walk down the street, we have a paparazzi trail following us.  Although, I guess “paparazzi” isn’t the right term as we’re the ones taking pictures and they’re less of a bunch of gossip hungry greasy men and more of a gaggle of four to ten year olds screaming “Whitey” in Bambara.  (They mean it lovingly…I think.)  Regardless, we’ll have anywhere from three to twenty kids staring at and/or following us at any point.  But, as soon as we take out our cameras, it becomes a total bum rush of kids posing and then flocking in even closer to see themselves in the preview screens of our cameras.  

It reminds me of the time I went snorkeling.  The guide threw a fistful of breadcrumbs on my head and all of these tropical fish swam right up to my face to eat.  There was no way I could have been any closer to them.  It was so cool to be in the middle of all of that foreign gorgeousness.  But also, I almost had a panic attack underwater because I don’t really like being touched.  Same balance of “wow-ness/ok-all-I’m-asking-for-is-three-inches-of-personal-space-seriously-did-you-have-to-put-your-snottiest-finger-on-my-cheek” feeling here.  

Anyway, this local celebrity/popularity status is pretty much the closest I’ve ever come to being prom queen.  If I’m recalling correctly, Lei was nominated for homecoming court at some point in high school, so she’s probably used to it.