July 11, 2008
In the district apartment where we're staying, we're just up the street from several conveniences: the Metro station, a neat little food/drink stand, and a shopping market. Russian shopping markets are a lot like the old shopping markets in smaller towns in U.S. There are many Russian labels with a few American labels scattered (Coca-Cola and "Coca-Cola Light" (Diet Coke)), for example. The little market up the street from where we're staying this week in Moscow has gotten to know me, it seems. A few of the cashiers and the security guard greet me when I come in now. They are very patient when I am trying to find prices and to figure out exactly what I am buying! I've ventured over a couple of times by myself (it's about half a block, so it's not too far of a walk; I just have to be careful not to buy more than I can carry back to the apartment!).
Despite their helpfulness, I have made a few buying errors. Here are examples:
1) I saw in the deli what was labeled "pork," so I thought it was ham. It wasn't. It was bologna. I hate bologna, but I bought quite a bit. The others like it, so that was OK. The next time I did manage to find the ham.
2) The fresh Russian bread is so good, that everytime I come in I buy at least some bread! I don't know if this is a "mistake" really, but we do now have LOTS of bread! :-)
3) The funniest miscue to me was the water. We buy lots of bottled water, and we even use it for brushing our teeth, etc., because of the old "don't drink the water" advice. The first day I bought two large bottles of water, and it turned out to be carbonated! One of our hosts pointed out to us the labeling difference (there are LOTS of brands of water in that little market). He showed us on the back of the label the differences, and one brand prints in English the following distinctions in water: "Highly Carbonated", "Medium Carbonated," and then for the regular bottled water: "Still."
So now when I am sent to the store for water, I pray that God would lead me to still waters! God is good at that, of course....
Blessings,
Charles
Despite their helpfulness, I have made a few buying errors. Here are examples:
1) I saw in the deli what was labeled "pork," so I thought it was ham. It wasn't. It was bologna. I hate bologna, but I bought quite a bit. The others like it, so that was OK. The next time I did manage to find the ham.
2) The fresh Russian bread is so good, that everytime I come in I buy at least some bread! I don't know if this is a "mistake" really, but we do now have LOTS of bread! :-)
3) The funniest miscue to me was the water. We buy lots of bottled water, and we even use it for brushing our teeth, etc., because of the old "don't drink the water" advice. The first day I bought two large bottles of water, and it turned out to be carbonated! One of our hosts pointed out to us the labeling difference (there are LOTS of brands of water in that little market). He showed us on the back of the label the differences, and one brand prints in English the following distinctions in water: "Highly Carbonated", "Medium Carbonated," and then for the regular bottled water: "Still."
So now when I am sent to the store for water, I pray that God would lead me to still waters! God is good at that, of course....
Blessings,
Charles
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