Seriously, Did I Just Say That?!

Okay, I know, I complained about it for a long time. Complained about the fact that Amman has no Target, Wal-mart, Costco, what have you, to fill the needs of one stop shopping. I also complained about the fact that we don't have many large supermarkets. We do have "Super-Markets" as they are called here. We have them on every street corner....but they are just small Mom and Pop stores that I have laughed at for months...not because they are bad stores but because they called themselves a Super-Market...some of them are the size of my kitchen! Someday I will post a picture for you so you can really get an idea of what I was laughing at. So anyway, Yanal always prefers to shop at these small Mom and Pop stores and I always want to go to the one-stop shopping at Carrefour (Amman's version of Pick-n-Save, Rainbow Foods downstairs and its version of Target upstairs). He always says the prices are better at the smaller stores and I thought the larger stores have everything and are therefore convenient.......

Change of Heart my friends....I decided today that I prefer the small Mom and Pop stores, even if they call themselves a Super-Market! Honestly, we went shopping today at the big Carrefour and it was so unnecessarily big. It took us over an hour to shop....'Normal', you say. I know what you are thinking, I know, I've been there....When I lived in the states, an hour at the grocery store was a fast time for me! However, I realized today that if we had gone to the smaller store on the corner, it would have only taken us 20 minutes at most! 20 minutes! With two little kids with limited attention spans and limited time to spend together as a family at the end of the night...20 minutes vs. over an hour is a big difference!

Again, I know what you are thinking....and nope, they have nearly everything you would want in the small stores too. They pack those stores all the way to the top! Now if you are looking for something 'foreign' like taco shells or skin-less, boneless chicken, then you have to go to the bigger stores. This way of shopping we also have to stop at the bakery and the vegetable Mom and Pop stores too, but they are located next door or a short walking distance. The bread is fresh and the prices on fruit and veggies are better...win-win.

Lastly, Seriously, I'm not lazy...I have two small kids that keep me moving all day. But after shopping at Carrefour...I was exhausted! It was the end of our day, the kids were getting bored and antsy, carrying the baby on one hip and pushing the awful carts they have here (will not drive straight if your life depends on it), the place was packed with people and kids running everywhere, it was noisy from all that and then the loudspeaker....grrr.

I got in the car and told my husband that next time we will go to the 'Super-Market' down the road! Seriously, did I just say that?!

http://www.carrefourjordan.com/english/ourstores_main.aspx

Don't get me wrong, Carrefour is a great store and they have the best prices compared to other large stores; however, I prefer to simplify my life.