After 38 frustrating days of broken promises and poor service + $450 in "fees" paid to customs, our shipment arrived! We are so incredibly relieved to finally have it in our possesion and FINALLY be able to start school. Thanks so much for praying!
Also, Ben's toe is healing up wonderfully with no infection so far (which is HUGE in the tropics!) We are soaking it often in hot salt water which is always a big help.
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A new mall/grocery store opened in our city just before we returned to the States, so we have been thoroughly enjoying the amenities it provides since we returned. However, they do have a funny rule that we can either get frustrated by or laugh off (we alternate between the 2!). As you enter the store, you have to choose whether you want to use a "big cart" (regular grocery cart) or "blue basket" (those smaller carts with 2 baskets). The deal is, when it is time to check out, you can only get in the line designated for that kind of cart.
The first time, we chose the big cart but when it was time to check out, the lines were huge at those but NOBODY at the "blue basket" lines. So the next time, we chose the blue basket, but the line situation was the opposite! So next time I came in, I checked the lines and chose the big cart even though I only needed a few things. But by the time I finished, only blue basket lines were open. Since I only had 4 things in my big cart, I tried to go through - didn't realize that is considered a felony (at least based on the reaction of all nearby cashiers and security guards). So I just got the 4 things out of the basket and carried them through. So the NEXT time (still trying to beat the system), since we were only getting a few things, I skipped the cart altogether and just had the kids help me carry. Well, apparently hand-carried items fall into the blue basket category because even though there were FIVE cashiers with no customers at all and long lines at the "blue basket" lines, we were NOT permitted to go through the big cart line with hand-carried items.
Lots of adjectives have come to mind, and my problem-solving skills have gone into overload with the ridiculous rule (including getting BOTH kinds of carts then just switching at the end when figure out which one I need, but Steve said that will be seen in negative way because only the impatient Americans are so worried about the lines and are willing to try to beat the system - he's right unfortunately).
So I have just learned to accept it as one of the oddities of life here and relax and *patiently* wait in line with everyone else (while we look longingly at the many cashiers currently waiting on NO ONE in the other class of lines!) And, at least this crazy situation is WAY better than trying to check out at the little grocery store in our previous town - there it could take 45 min - 1 hr even if you were the only customer checking out! No exaggeration, but that is a whole other story...
4 comments:
This seriously makes me smile! Good job of sharing the story. We have the basket and cart lines also, but we can change if we want to. We also have to make sure we get in the cash line or we wait in line to find out that we are in the wrong one. So many odd things, well at least odd to non-Filipinos. :~)
One thing that has been hard for me to understand is that if I don't crowd in line someone else moves in in front of me.
I am glad you got your shipment! And that Ben's toe is healing well!
I couldn't stop laughing at your story. I would be doing the same thing - trying to figure out a way to get it to work - and would be frustrated seeing the cashiers with no one in line. Best of luck as you continue your shopping - ha ha! :)
Oh Jen, I am still laughing about the blue basket/big cart story! I can totally picture you peeking around the corner as you walk into the store to check out which line is longer and then the shock on your face when you go to check-out and see that the tide has turned. :-) Enjoy the craziness and don't forget to smile, laugh, and just sing along with the loud music that is mostly likely blaring as you wait!
PTL that your shipment came, and now you can get started on schooling. Haven't been online lately so am behind on your posts...sorry to hear about Ben but glad that he is healing!!! Love you guys! xoxoxo
We wish we had a place to choose blue basket or big cart. Our "big" grocery here just stopped carrying groceries and will just be a pharmacy now. We are back to looking at every little sari-sari in town for the items on our shopping list.
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