Nosy Neds

One of the most interesting things here continues to be the lack of personal privacy. I've known this for as long as I've been coming here, but it never ceases to amaze me. Right now, I'm trying to casually turn my computer because one of the other house's nannies keeps reading my screen. People have no problem sitting down next to you to start reading your email with you. Uh, hello? This email is not to you, so bugger off! Usually it's not that bad and I can ignore it, but sometimes I just want to say GET AWAY FROM MY STUFF! I had to put the screen lock on my iphone because everyone was just always picking it up and playing with it. It extends throughout society, not just to me. I went to the hospital 2 weeks ago to visit the HIV team and they invited me to sit in on their consultations with the patients and I was like "Uh, I don't want to violate anyone's privacy" and they LITERALLY CRACKED UP AT THE NOTION. They were like "Oh you Americans, you are so funny about privacy! The patients won't mind at all!" Uh, are you sure? Or you just assume they won't because "that's the way it is" in Nigeria? Next time, I think I'm' going to get one of those privacy filters for my laptop screen. It will at least cut down on the people sitting next to me. Now if they can stand behind me they totally will...