We’ve now been in Caracas for one month and I thought I would do a self check-up on how we are adapting.

I remember at the end of the kids’ first week of school, I had this feeling as though the situation were temporary. I don’t know if it was because most of the move thus far had felt a bit surreal (it has not sunk in that I now live Venezuela) or if the first week came and went so fast. It made me think of the previous times they had started school and how I felt about it then. While I may have felt a bit of nostalgia, I don’t think it felt so transitory.

I know that a lot of these feelings have to do with the stress that we have been feeling since the earthquake in Haiti, but I can’t help but wonder how long this feeling will last. When I lived abroad during college, I think the excitement overpowered any other feelings (even homesickness) and I can’t recall feeling anything but that.

As for my Spanish, I am noticing that I understand a lot more of what people say. I have confirmed that Venezuelans tend to speak a bit fast – I guess like New Yorkers speak English – so that doesn’t help. Once things settle down a bit more, I plan on signing up for a course and/or enlisting the help of a private tutor. In the meantime, I am not afraid to say “como?” and “no entiendo”

I still find Venezuelans to be extremely polite and thoughtful and I have been overwhelmed by their support for Haiti during these times. So much so, that I will dedicate an entire post to tell more about their efforts — stay tuned…

Photo credit: a.drian

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To honor my adventurous spirit, I decided I wanted to go grocery shopping on my own during my first week in Caracas; even though my Spanish is very basic. After several trips to finally get everything I need, I came up with the following strategy that seems to be successful 80% of the time (hey, nothing’s perfect .

Step #1: Make your shopping list with the Spanish translation of each item.

Step #2: On your way to the store, repeat over and over in your head ”Permiso senor(a), tiene…?”

Step #3: If you are anything like me, when in the US I frequent the same stores simply because I know where everything is – so you must search the whole store for every item that you want since they are not likely to be where think they’ll be.

Step #4: In case of emergency and you cannot find your item after looking through the whole store at least twice, find the nearest employee (one who’s stocking shelves) and use your memorized text “Permiso senor(a), tiene <missing item>?” He/she will likely answer you with what seems like a thousand words that you have yet to memorize. Simply nod and say “Bueno, gracias”. Walk away and do another walk through the whole store to try and find your missing item.

Step #5: Now for paying – the cashier will ask you for your Cedula (your ID number that gets used for EVERYTHING), but it will sometimes sound like “Grrbbb”. Simply say your number. The easiest way to complete the transaction is by using cash, but if you must use a debit or credit card – you’re going to need more memorized words. In this instance, the cashier will ask you if it will be with the same cedula – again “Grrbbb la misma?”. You say “si” and then he/she will swipe your card for you. Once it has been read, he/she will hand you the keypad to enter your PIN. Please note: you can avoid everything but the Cedula by paying cash.

Step #6: This one should actually be done simultaneously to step #5 – start bagging your stuff. Sometimes, a roaming bagger will come around and help you out, but for the most part – you are on your own.

Step #7: Some of the stores will ask to see your receipt as you leave (sometimes to stamp them). This is similar to the Wal-Mart practice in the states.

And presto, your shopping trip is complete! Like I said, this has worked pretty well for me. It isn’t easy, but it can be done .

One more thing, at some of the larger supermarkets, they offer babysitting services for FREE. I have used them on two different occasions and the kids love it!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcouch/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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