stepping into America

One thing that I haven't been able to express well enough is the changes one can see when they come to Africa. Close your eyes (ok, hard to do that AND read-so close one eye!) and imagine a world without Walmart. Then imagine a world with no major grocery stores or department stores. Take away multiple roads leading to the same place, and you have an idea of what it's like here to drive and shop.

We do have stores, but they are much smaller than you would imagine. In Mekhe I have tons of boutiques. However, a boutique has in stock about what your own pantry would contain. Anything frozen, you can't find it in Mekhe. Cheese, milk, you can't find. So I go to supermarkets 2x a month to do most of my major grocery shopping. There's a good supermarket in Theis that has cereal, snack items such as cookies, chips, crackers, and candy bars. It has frozen foods, canned foods, sliced bread (I can get french bread in Mekhe), milk and cheese. So I have found a way to get the things I want, I just have to drive 30 miles to do so.

Well, in Dakar they have some stores that are a little nicer. The supermarket in Theis is maybe half of Carrols IGA in Stedman for those of you familiar with that store. Stores in Dakar that I shop at would be compariable to Carrols. Keep that in your mind as you read what I found...

When I was in Dakar earlier this week, my business facilitator told me there was a new grocery store that opened up. Knowing the direction he was saying, I took 2 others with me who needed to do some shopping. When I walked into the store, I felt like I was walking in America! The store is huge! It would be a superwalmart, I'm not kidding! Maybe half the size of superwalmart, but all the same items. A toy aisle! A candy isle! An isle devoted completely to baby needs, toiletries and such. An entire butcher section that really would be similar to any major grocery store. Many, many choices of the same item. And it seemed like they were still stocking things. I was utterly shocked! I'd be ok seeing that in the states, I think. But seeing that here really amazed me. It was a very nice place. And the prices weren't bad, which was surprising.

So I wanted to share my American experience. Senegal is really developing before my eyes. I can't imagine what the next 5 years will entail.