5
September 2008 9:00 pm
In retrospect, the Western
Union experience did not really merit a whole paragraph but truthfully it was
exhilarating. I’ve been out a few times since then, each one unique and worth
mentioning, though probably in less detail. The problem is I am, by nature, a
homebody (and by pocketbook) and with no one to visit, it becomes even more
pronounced. In addition (work-a-holics) it is just too easy to go to my
classroom and get things done. Plus, I am really enjoying the time with my
boys!
I realize I could be a bit
more specific about the shopping experiences, as I wanted more details when I
was on the other side of the ocean. And there is much to say because groceries
have a variety of ways of arrival.
“The Bus” - Most times I take the Saturday shopping trip downtown and buy canned goods, cheese, small snacks, paper goods and soap. I’m trying to establish a better system so I don’t have to go every Saturday but things like cheese are hard to keep on hand. They are very expensive and because the power goes out so frequently (every day this week from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm) refrigeration is unreliable. Don’t want to stock up on too much cold stuff. Shopping in the stores downtown is…..exhausting. There are a few small stores that price in dollars or francs and are fairly reasonable.
However, it is almost never possible to get everything you need in one store. SO, we usually start with the most reasonable and least expensive. As you move up in price the whole system itself becomes more complicated. Items are priced with a letter and a number (for example, A34.) You must then look on a chart posted somewhere nearby and find A34 and the corresponding francs. Then, if you’re me, you have to do a mental conversion to dollars. And then, if you’re still me, you stand there looking dumbfounded at the item you thought you wanted to buy. Which is how I found myself staring at a $22 box of cereal. Yes, dollars. Twenty-two of them. I just kept shaking my head and walking around the aisle looking at all the cereal. I couldn’t seem to accept the prices (range $16-$22) and thought if I circled enough something previously missing would suddenly become clear. It did not. We settled on an $8 box of yogurt/oatmeal containing 6 packets (just add hot water) that the boys LOVED. It didn’t last long but was bug-free.
Because, while considering price, one must also consider quality and determine if there will be bugs inside the (previously) desired item. I have found several brands that I feel are fairly safe but always there is a close inspection and cleaning of everything. Yay for downtown shopping.
“Home delivery”- the most
convenient and comes in a variety of ways. There is the vegetable woman, Mama ,
who comes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. She usually has an assortment of
good looking carrots, green peppers, cucumbers and bananas. She sells tomatoes,
onions and even peanuts (yum!) Her prices are reasonable enough considering she
is at your door and her things usually look better than anything in the store.
As you know, she has saved me on more than one occasion. (Watermelons!)
The other delivery option is a
woman who bakes things and sells eggs. I think she is part of the missionary
connection here. Her baked goods are really healthy (whole wheat often) and
really good! She has saved us a few times as well. There was a cold evening
(really, it was quite brisk, I know you don’t believe me but I could have used
a sweater) in August when someone delivered fresh baked bread and rolls to our
door. The night before it had been eggs and a bag of muffins. It was really
amazing, especially so because our cupboards were bare. We had a most delicious
breakfast that truly seemed to be a gift from God and tasted as heavenly.
I’m told the campus food service (school lunch) will also deliver bread but haven’t yet tried this service. I’m hoping it will help to cut out the Saturday morning excursion. The last delivery comes in the way of gifts or requests from people coming and going. The most interesting was a jar of honey I received from Nanny #1, Mama Helene. She was very happy to offer and assured me the last occupants of 58A used this honey all the time for sweetening and for stomach aches. I was glad to accept and simply wondered what to do with all of the little bee bodies and wings floating on top. Really, it appeared more full of insect parts than honey. However, after a few days most of this had formed a thick top layer which I scooped off and then spent a good Sunday straining honey. Yeah, quality time with the family. It does make a good cup of tea though, and even sweetens a cup of Nescafe pretty nicely.
“Marche”- Finally, there is the outdoor market. I took the walk with another couple, thankfully!- because it was quite far and Nabih insisted on being carried all the way. (He is a good 50 pounds now, and while a bit taller, he’s still fairly stout. Yes, it was a back ride because there is no other way to carry him.) The streets were dusty and even in some places showing signs of the rainy season mud to come. Clearly the “bus” would never travel down these parts, mud or not. After 20 minutes or so we arrived at a typical African food market. The streets were narrow, packed with people and paved with mud and garbage. Vendors were lining both sides of the alley way we turned up. Some women were braiding children’s hair, some were sleeping, some were chatting with neighbors. A busy, dusty place full of waiting and life. The further into the market and the more food displayed the hotter and buggier it became- flies, bees, gnats swarming fish, flour and plantains. Some vegetables looked ok, the manioc I’d been searching for finally found and sweet potatoes, all at livable prices. Peanut butter here ground right before your eyes. I don’t understand the allure, wincing at the conditions, wishing better for everyone but certain I’d be back.
Maybe it was the woman who cracked open a coconut after witnessing our discussion about how to do it (intuitively she must have known what we were saying.) Mohamed really wanted the nut and we bought one after the live demo. Or maybe it was the woman who was selling roasted peanuts saying “Give me…” I gave her a quick English lesson to say “Buy my peanuts” which ended in laughter and head shaking. Or maybe it was the boy selling oranges who seemed far too serious to be just a boy. It’s the energy of the market which fills more than just the need for food. It’s the exact opposite of the sterile environment housing the $8 oatmeal.
