White consciousness?

So, (as you know...) this past weekend was our homestays. I ended up having to stay with a different family because the original one had to go to a funeral and couldn't take me. So they put me in a family with another girl in our program. At first I was really disappointed that I'd have to share a family but being with her ended up being one of the best things about the weekend. We actually had kind of a weird experience there though. The two adults in the family weren't very enthusiastic about us being there, and the mom kept leaving us alone with the kids. I guess we were free babysitters, after all! So mostly we just watched TV and American movies or played with the kids, who were awesome. No complaining about the "babysitting". It was a 6 year old girl and a 9 year old boy. The first night that I was there, I gave them the cards that I'd brought from home and they absolutely loved them. And then I did a card trick, which I ended up repeating about 20 times throughout the course of the weekend, and every time they were just as amazed as the first. It is a pretty good trick though. :) So basically, my weekend was spent playing “crazy ate” (like crazy eights but morphed just enough so it barely has anything in common), making forts, and carrying the kids around the house on my shoulders. I did get to know the other girl in my program a lot better though, which was fun because she's not in my house or any of my classes so I don't get to see her that often. On Saturday though, we got to leave the house for a little while because another one of the students' family was having a braai (just a huge barbecue) for lunch. They had so much food, and I think over 50 people were inside the tiny house. I had samp, which is a basic traditional South African food, kind of like corn, but also sort of potato-y and a little bit like rice. But it tastes wonderful. Then I walked to the store with a few of the girls. It was really bizarre being the only white person in site. It might sound weird, and I never thought it would make me feel that way. It was uncomfortable, but it was good because it was so eye-opening. I just felt so conscious of my skin. I feel kind of silly pointing it out. Even right now I'm thinking, "of course you look different, no big deal". But it sure seemed like a big deal. Like I didn't fit in, which I didn't, and like everyone in the store was looking me, which they were. White consciousness I guess? It was strange, but was a good thing. Actually, the kids kept bringing it up too, asking what that blue was on my wrist (vein) and why I had a Pinocchio nose! And the little girl was completely obsessed with my hair. She was almost constantly brushing it or “making a hairstyle,” and I let her help me wash it and then dry it with the hairdryer one night and she was thrilled. So I guess the kids were the best part about our homestay. We were the only family that had kids, except for one other that had two little ones. All of the other students had families who took them around either Langa or the city, and had things planned for them, but I was just really grateful that I wasn't the only student staying with my family! And we gave our numbers to our home-mother, in case she wants to drop the kids by sometime when she's in town. We have hers too, so we're definitely going to call sometime to see them again. So the homestay definitely wasn't what I expected, but all in all, it turned out to be a pretty good experience. :)