We come from a super-size, value-pack society. When we go shopping, it is with the mentality
of getting the best deal on the largest size or quantity of whatever it is we
are trying to buy. It’s nothing for us
in the States to have our pantries and cabinets stocked with multiples of
anything and everything because we found something on sale or because we had a
great coupon for it, so we stocked up.
Now, we live in a land where most shops sell single servings
of just about anything you can imagine. In
any store, you will see strips of single serving packets hanging from every
available space. You can buy a single
serving package of shampoo, conditioner, detergent, tea, chips, spices, diapers,
and more. At the local shops, you can
buy one egg, a single servings of rice or lentils, or half a loaf of
bread. And, I have even seen people buy
one cigarette. These single-sized
packages baffled me for a long time…it seemed like such a waste of money…until
it finally occurred to me why most
people here don’t shop like I do.
I’m sure you have heard the statistics about how the
majority of the world lives on less than $2 US a day. Well, we see the reality of that statistic
lived out in our midst all day, every day.
The majority of the people we live around shop every day for their daily
needs…whether that be rice for the day’s meals, or shampoo for the day’s
bathing. For most people, it is not
possible to think about spending 150 Rupees (about $3 US) to buy a regular
sized bottle of shampoo…that is more than many make in a single day of
work.
When you look at life that way, it is rather humbling to
know that having a pantry full of excess food, cleaning products, etc. is
something most people in the world cannot even fathom having. Rather, they are simply worried about having
enough money each day so that they can feed their families.
Please know that I’m not saying this to make
anyone feel guilty...just hoping that my “revelations” will in some way help
others better understand the part of the world we live in. :)
