You Might be Living in an African IDP/Refugee Camp if...

In the spirit of the "You might be a red neck if..." jokes, I have developed some of my own "You might be living in an African IDP/Refugee Camp if..." line of jokes. If it really takes off I might abandon humanitarian /medical work and go on a stand up comedy tour. Actually, I probably won't because I think that the jokes are much funnier if you are here and actually had the IDP/Refugee camp experience.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... the new 5 inch diameter spider or an increase in the number of cockroaches in the nearest pit latrine is dinner time conversation.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... small children dare each other to run up and touch your hand.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... you have eaten World Food Programme beans and rice for 18 consecutive meals.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... you have seen a woman collecting drinking water from a river while she watches 12 people bathing, and 2 children urinating upstream in the same river.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... people let you cut in the line for the well because you are white. Actually, the fact that you are standing in line to collect water from a well might be an indication that you are living in an IDP camp.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... you have had a discussion about whether you like the design of the MSF or the UNICEF pit latrines better.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... you have received 8 marriage offers in the last 2 weeks.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... insects that gather around a light are considered a food source.

You might be living in an African IDP camp if... all children shout "white person!" in their local language anytime you walk anywhere.