The Wal-Mart Blues

While my time here in Santiago has been great, and I have yet to experience gut-wrenching homesickness, (don't worry, Mom, I'm sure it will happen soon, and you'll be the first person I call crying) I find myself missing one very large, fairly priced, filled to the brim with the toothless place from Kansas.

Wal-Mart. I miss Wal-Mart.

There were some that thought I would never say this, but, Oh, the convenience and prices!! The selection! The checkers who bag things for you!

I'm in serious Wal-Mart withdrawl.

The best grocery store here is a 15-20 minute walk from my home. I still can't find sugar. As far as I can find out, it is only sold in tiny packets for coffee. The aisles are tiny, aka Katie and I being mauled by half-crazed Spanish housewives on a mission has become normal.

We're on the Santiago diet plan, better known as the "choose your food carefully, because you have to carry it, your school bag, and balance an umbrella: Do you really need those cookies?"plan.

But, we're being very health and money conscious girls and making most of our meals, saving that money for the exorbitant prices of hard alcohol. I think that last part of the sentence may have discredited the first, but whatever. We're getting quite a reputation in our house for being good cooks, after the especially popular chicken fried rice night. Don't worry, we took photographic evidence.

Sadly, we do this for almost every meal we do that is borderline acceptable. I think we're starting to weird out our Spanish roommates, but Juan uses a little soccerball placemat whenever he eats, so I just dare him to comment.

I think we'll be going out to eat tomorrow night, though. We have no classes on Fridays, so we'll be starting the weekend early. We also didn't have class today. As you can tell, the schedule here is really beginning to be overwhelming.

I hope all is well at home, and that you're all remembering not to take Wal-Mart for granted as I did as a young woman. I have indeed learned the errors of my ways. I will return to the States a reformed woman, standing in the flourescent-lit aisles of Wal-Mart, one large tear of joy slowly making its way down my face...