Its the "Ethnic" Places that we will thrive in

Its been a while since my last post... Didja miss me?? No? . ok ..no worries ...

We found an "Afro Shop" today ... its aptly named because I suppose it caters to the needs of getting RID of an afro ...lol .Yup Ladies and Gentlemen .. boys and girls... kiddies and grannies ... I found Petroleum Jelly, Hair Relaxer product, Callallo in a tin, Pink Oil, Olive Oil, Dr. Miracle, Motions .. girl .. you name it ... and they HAD it!! it was like walking into a hairdresser's heaven... the only thing that was missing was the shower caps? ... Ok .. I forgot to actually LOOK for those.
The guy in the store, I believe he was Nigerian, thought I was from Jamaica. No offence Jamaicans, but i'm sooo tired of everyone in the world thinking that the caribbean IS Jamaica... People .. get yourself a map of the caribbean... and LEARN! We are important too.. Where u ting steelpan come from? .... Germany? Which German man in their RIGHT mind will tek up a big ole garbage barrel and say .." Hmm I cam make music with this" .. NOPE! it was Trinidad brotherzz . Is only we have nuttin to do wit we time like dat! oh yes it was!

Apparantly the Store Man saw me walk into the store had a big smile on his face and then saw my husband walk in after me ... and the smile faded.... I didn't see this. My husband told me about it after we left the shop, but its obviously not been as racially wonderful for him as it has been for me ... well I have to say ..at least so far

I say so far because, with MUCH trepidation, one little black girl will move to a predominantly white culture. Its not because we don't WANT to be here... (although warm climates are usually more our fortei - check out the history.) Maybe we stand out alot. I have to admit that walking around in Oslo there were more Black people than in Bergen. Now .. let me be clear when I say "Black" people. I have only seen ONE totally black person .... he was riding a bike in Melbourne Australia and I had to take 2 looks and then a third when he passed by because all I saw were teeth - and they were really white! And I have no idea why he WORE black too..... go figure ... so when I say "black" people its normally anything that is NOT white and don't have to go sunning to GET brown. So that included Indians, some other ethnicities that i'm not too sure about etc.

So continuing, I remember in Australia, black/brown people were soo few and far between in Sydney at least .. that they would actually nod at you when u past. There was one I remember who went out of his way to catch my eye just to say hello. You know the tourists ... they don't count .. they normally move around in drones or packs.... carrying cameras etc. and they certainly don't acknowledge you!

..... but I was on Hair stuff..

So I walk into this store and i'm in heaven!!! JUST HEAVEN! I'm walking around like a little dotish chile picking up tings and go .. "Look babe!! Motions ... This is wonderful!!" you would swear it was jewelry store with "FREE" marked on everything!

Needless to say .. it is going to be my "best friend" for my hair. I won't have to order things in from England or tote it in my suitcase next time I travel. That is a WONDERFUL thought.. especially since airlines love to take money for over weight ...

Even more exciting was Right NEXT to the store was a "Global Store" or supermarket per say. That too was wonderful ... Guess what peeps?? I found me some BAKING SODA!! I find it odd that a country that is so big up on cakes (or kake as they say it) would not have baking soda... and not only was a little bottle .. but it was a big ole bottle of it ... that is what I'm say my "global" people.... we USE baking soda... and thankfully it was not a ridiculous price... it was "normal". Actually that whole Global store was MUCH cheaper than a normal supermarket. I started asking myself if they were "underground' or something??? ...
There was Roti/paratha (most likely authentic indian so nothing to jump up and down there), Sushi things (yes we bought some because we are BIG sushi fans!), Thai things, Coconuts in the shell, different ice creams, Corn meal for our Latin folks, "Fresh" produce that looked like it was the last day on the shelf, Frozen occras, and so many things ... I must go back and go through each shelf properly!

OH! and You know how we cut up our meat right there in the place ... and bag it up in different weight bags? Well gorsh ... I miss dat!! They do it in the global market!! Yup!.. juss so!. You get so accustomed to meat being put in vacuum sealed containers with fancy labels on it that you see this and it almost looks "wrong" .. ahh .but it is not ... it is the way the "global" people do it. I think they cater for mainly asians. I'm not sure. But either way, I'm happy ... OH YES! and MILO people .. i found MILO there ... its not as wonderful as back home.. yuh know the big sugary grains that have alot of barley or malt or something in it; its a little more on the nesquik side....:( .. ah well.

So, I'm happy to say that my hair and food troubles MAY be a small thing of the past. But I won't count my chickens before they are hatched .... there is still much to explore in that little global shop....

Whey yuh say.... Callalloo in a tin from Jamaica anyone????