Movin' on up!

So, shortly after I moved to Dominica, they started clearing land close to the school to build a new grocery store. Most of the grocery stores near school are more like convenience stores in the US. You can get your basic supplies, and live off them, but it's nothing special. If you wanted to go to a more "proper" grocery store, you'd have to go to the capital, Roseau, which is an hour long bus ride and I personally can't stand Roseau. It's hot, crowded, and everyone thinks you're a tourist off a cruise ship just because you're white! I can't stand Roseau so much, that I haven't been in a year (now it's just a matter of principle to see how long I can go without needing to visit it!). So, since I've been here, grocery shopping consists of starting at one end of Picard (where Ross is located) and visiting the 3-5 grocery stores to get as much stuff as you can find (just because they had it last time, doesn't mean they'll have it this time). Which I don't mind doing, it just makes grocery shopping a little more complicated. You have your favorites at some stores. To this day, I've only found one place that has chocolate chips (James Store...which is actually pretty gross). So I know that if I need chocolate chips (or laundry detergent...they actually sell detergent as opposed to fabric softener, which everyone else only sells...but you must read the bottle carefully and be able to translate spanish in order to determine this fact), that's where I need to go.

So this "new" grocery store that is supposed to be built is slated to be a proper grocery store (like they have in Roseau) and was supposed to be open last November (2010). Guess what...TID (this is Dominica) and of course it's not open. Fast forward to April 2011...It's supposed to open on Friday...think again...Monday...psych!!...Tuesday at 10am...just kidding...Tuesday 5pm...We're in business! Of course this Tuesday falls on the day of our lab practical (which is an 11 hour work day for me), so I don't get to partake. Plus, I leave the next day for 2 weeks back in the US, so I guess I'll miss the grand opening and all the amazing things they have inside. As I'm sitting in the waiting area in the airport, I'm reading everyone's facebook status about the "amazing new grocery store" and "they've got strawberries" (which pisses me off bc I know that when I get back they'll all be gone) and "civilization come to Dominica." Yeah yeah...you guys enjoy your grand opening, but I'm going back to the states to enjoy great food and variety for 2 weeks!

Fast forward 2 weeks...I come back to Dominica. It's time to check out this new hot spot. Yep, well worth those posts. Proper US grocery store (on the small side comparatively), with a deli and a bakery and freezers that actually work! Guess what...they even still had strawberries, sorta. I enjoy perusing, grabbing things off the shelf that i don't need, but take bc I haven't seen them since I've living down here. I go to checkout and surprise surprise, my strawberries don't ring up, they're not even in the system, and the manager and no one currently in the store knows how much they cost. So they don't let me buy them (I'm seriously cussing some people out in my brain at this point...I'M OBSESSED with freaking strawberries, or any berries for that matter bc you CAN'T get them here~ it's too hot to grow them!!) And wouldn't you know, I've not seen strawberries since then. So obviously they've still got some kinks to work out. It's a great addition to the community, but it's still Dominican! At least now I pretty much only have to stop at one place to get all my groceries! Happy shopping!