Several months ago the big, old store out in front of where we live closed for renovations. Rumor was that it would reopen as a self-serve supermarket. Today is the grand opening, and flyers in our mailboxes have confirmed that it really will be a Western-style grocery store. I'm excited!
When we first moved to Russia, I didn't like the old-style stores, just because of my lack of language skills. Everything is behind the counters and in different sections. I would make it up to the front of the line, say what I wanted, and the lady wouldn't understand. Instantly, everyone would be yelling at me to get out of the way. (This was in Moscow, and most Muscovites have no patience.)
I finally got past that, but now I have children. We go and wait in the dairy line. I ask for milk, then take off after Jaan; I come back, order yogurt, and try to get Raia to stop crying; then cheese. . . and that's just the first section! If I still have any sanity left, we go on to dry goods, then produce, and so on. Do you see why Will usually does the shopping?
It will be so fun and easy to be able to walk around the store and choose what we want off the shelves! Of course, it will be a new training experience for our children. And we will miss all the ladies we knew who worked in the different sections. But I'm looking forward to it.
Baba Julie, you'll have to make a special trip just to see this store. 
It's too bad that you didn't see what was there before, so that you would be able to compare it. (So everyone else will understand what I'm talking about: when we lived in Moscow and Will's parents visited, his mother went to the supermarkets every day. She was disappointed that we didn't have them here.)
UPDATE: Will and Jaan just went out to the grand opening. They're only letting people into the store in small groups, and Will didn't want to wait in line. I guess we'll find out what it's like later.
5 comments:
We shopped in a similar way when we first came to Poland, except that everything wasn't under roof. You had to go to different little shops for dairy, dry-shelf products, produce, meat, etc...
It was such a relief to get those big Western stores with shopping-carts to push around. I could shop the old way if I had to, but its so much easier this way...
Enjoy!
And I used to think that taking two small children to the grocery store for serious shopping was a sanity-shaking experience--and that was in an American style grocery store where my language was being spoken! As I look back, it is the opportunities for child training and ministry to others that I remember, not the threats to my sanity. May God so bless you as you shop!
How will this store compare to the one Will took me to that was just beginning to open (where most things on display were not yet for sale)?
Much love to each one....
Mom, I think it is even bigger than the one you saw!
Once again you bring back great memories of our times spent in Ukraine and actually Poland too! :O) We didn't know any of the languages and it was quite a scene every time we had to go into a store like that with our brand new babies in hand. So, I can definitely rejoice with you on this one!!!
Phyllis I so enjoy reading your blog and glimpses into your life in Russia! Happy shopping! I am sure they are worried about shoplifter thus the small groups. I remember a new supermarket like that in Greece several years ago that made you check your bag/purse at the front before you could shop.
Oh how I long to come back to Russia! There is still so much I want to see!
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