Annada Marie Vergo

This afternoon we went shopping. Our friends took us to the highest-end, most western grocery store here. It was a cross between a Target and a Walmart. On one hand it felt like huge relief to buy food for Annada (making sure she has enough food to eat has been stressful) on the other hand it was very overwhelming. We ended up with 2 carts full of water, food and random things (like a French press – we were all a little desperate for coffee today).

In the meat section I saw… a couple whole stingrays! Annada is pointing to them in the picture. They had been skinned and were slimy. I had no idea you could eat a stingray. Right next to the stingrays were tons of great fruit. Once I figure out how to rinse them with bleach, we are going to be set. Oh and cheese – awesome cheeses. We spent almost $300 for our home of 6. Probably way more than we needed, but since we feel a little helpless, it is nice to know we have more than enough for now.

We also ate at an upscale local restaurant. We got chicken cooked with brined lemons and olives. Sooo good. Annada fell asleep halfway through the meal. Unfortunately it was one of those terrible toddler naps that recharge them- she is wide a awake and calling for me now and it is almost 11 pm.

Last night Annada woke up crying a lot. Meme, may God bless her, got up several times and walked around with her.

Today Annada told me at the grocery store that she was whining because “I miss my Orlando home.” And as I was getting her ready for bed I asked if she wanted to sleep in her own room (the bathroom) and she jumped up, “Yes, in my Orlando bed please, Momma!”

While I am grateful to be here, I can understand. The low point for me today was going to bathroom at the grocery store. There are women who work in the bathroom who live on tips. This was a nice place, so I could “tip” as I left, but apparently at most they won’t let you in until you pay. I carried Annada in to find out it was a raised squatty potty. It was too tall for Annada to squat over, but there was no where to sit. So I held her in the air. As we walked out I thought, whew, we made it.

I walked up to the sink and there were 3 young women talking in the bathroom. They had their stuff spread all across the counter space. 2 things happened at the same time: I picked Annada up and the woman working in the bathroom turned the water on. As I lifted Annada up, she knocked a cell phone and wallet into the sink.

I grabbed them out and the lady’s whose phone it was started yelling at me in Arabic. The woman working there started yelling at her (for having her stuff laying around I think). The cell phone woman’s friends started yelling at her to stop yelling at me.

I could not think of one word to say. Not one. It was a very small bathroom. The woman turned on her phone and it worked but she kept yelling. Her friend motioned for me to leave and I grabbed Annada and ran out. Wow. I had no idea how terrible it feels to have people yelling at you in a situation where you have no idea what is normal and can’t understand a word. I really just wanted to cry, but there were enough people looking at Annada and I as it was.

It is strange to be in a city where BMWs share a road with a donkey drawn carts. Where avocados are cheap and apples are expensive. Where milk, eggs and cream cheese are not refrigerated but there are two whole aisles of yogurt. Where the call to prayer wakes me up in the night and at dawn. Where people enclose their homes with 10 foot high walls with broken glass on top. Where few people speak English. Where dishwashers, refrigerators and air conditioning are not only rare, but seen as ridiculous.

It’s also a city where random people come up and kiss Annada on the cheek. Where when one of our friend’s kids wandered off at the beach, a woman walked the beach with him looking for his parents. Where most of the food is organic and local because people here grow it – and the organic version is often cheaper because it isn’t imported. Where, despite my awful language skills, nearly everyone wants to help and acts like it is a joy to do so.

And another major plus – we do have hot water :).

Trackback URI | Comments RSS