Sunday, August 10, 2008

Shopping: Yikes!

I though shopping at a Western-style shopping center would bring me a little bit closer to home and help me feel a little more at ease…even if for only a half an hour. It proved to be one of the most stressful things I’ve done since I’ve been here. I wasn’t fending off people hawking all sorts of things with shouts of “Come in, Friend. Looking is free.” I, instead was lost in aisles of disorganized, overpriced imported items. For example, a simple thermal lunch sack, like the one I had in third grade, was Tsh 17,000 or four rolls of toilet paper for Tsh 9,000. The whole experience was one of elbowing past people to find what I was looking for. (Who puts stationary in the same aisle with candy and juice?) It was lines of foreigners and muzungu looking for their favorite shampoo. I thought I might have a panic attack. One of my friends later pointed out as I told her this story that it was a holiday weekend and everyone was probably out to get their shopping done before they had to go back to the work week. Who knows...

I haven’t felt the kind of stress that I did in the store since I left home. It wasn’t unknown anxiety, it was the hurried and hassle stress. I don’t like that feeling. Apparently I haven’t missed it. I think the only thing I’m going to like about Mlimani City Shopping Center is the book store and the movie theater. As much as the market at Mwenge unnerves me, I think I might be better off there.

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