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May 18, 2006
Shopping in Honduras
Some of you may know that we spent two years as missionaries in Honduras, Central America. I thought that it might be beneficial to write a series of entries about Cultural Contrasts of living in a third world country compared to the USofA. Hence, my first entry "Shopping in Honduras".
Shopping for anything in Honduras was always an event. First you have to decide what you need (want). Then try to find a shop where they sell that item. You see, most all shops are little garage like, cement block, one story buildings that sell one type of thing. It was the same in Mexico. If you want to buy a lense for your headlight...you find a shop that sells headlight lenses. If you want a spark plug for your car, you find a shop that sells spark plugs. Every shop is unique and specialized...and tiny.
Nothing like running to Lowe's for building supplies. If you want lumber you go to the lumber yard. If you want nails you go to the hardware store. If you want plumbing pipes, you go to the plumbing store. Do you see my meaning here? Finding what you need (want) usually takes all day. Then you don't have time to get your project done that you finally found all the parts for.
a local hardware store
Once my boys were sent an electronic game that required batteries. What to do, what to do. I asked several Nationals and other missionaries to see if anyone knew where to buy batteries. Someone mentioned one store in particular, and lo and behold...a package of batteries! I don't know how old they were, but they were the right size and I think they DID work. I mentioned to the lady who gave us the game about the trouble of finding batteries and she said, "well, don't you have a Wal-mart or something?" Some people just don't understand what a third world country is like.
Grocery shopping was a bit easier. The stores that sold food, usually sold all kinds. And if they had it, you bought it. Like cereal for instance. If the store had a box of cereal you BUY it. Whether you need it now or not. There might not be any in the store when you do want to buy some. And the secret is you BUY THEM ALL! It may be months before they get any more in. And there wasn't all those choices we have in the States. There would be one kind of coffee, one kind of ketchup, one kind of sugar, and one kind of cereal (if any).
Produce was usually bought at the market or a roadside stand and the Nationals don't understand buying ahead of time. They shop every day for the day's food. The reason being that the Nationals are paid daily for their work (if they found work that day), so they buy food for supper that day (if they found work, that is). One day I needed a bunch of broccoli for a meal on a Monday and I was at the market on Saturday. I mentioned something about needing this on Monday, and the clerk says "why don't you buy it on Monday, then?"
I could go on and on, but will write more later.
~Betsy
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May 18, 2006 - Hi:)
It sounds like you had quite an adventure with your time in Honduras. I enjoyed reading your blog. :) I lived in Spain during college and although not a third world country, very different than what I was used to.:) Lots of good stories to tell and share with my dear family!;) Thanks for sharing yours!:)
Have a great day and God bless!
Angie:)