It is amazing to me how after only being in Port-Gentil for 4 days now how much the little things mean!  By little things, I mean things that I totally take for granted back in the states. Like being able to hang my clothes up, having a small trashcan in the bathroom, papertowels?!?  All of these things are available at the local grocery store (super CK2) however I am not driving, and because its closed from 12PM-2PM daily, we have not been to the grocery store yet.  Needless to say, we’ve been eating out and eating ramen noodles that I smuggled in my suitcase a lot.  Anyways, one of the wives I have been hanging out with in the compound suggested we take a walk down to some of the local stores and boy did I jump at the chance!!  I have never been SO excited to find coffee mugs or a pair of scissors in my life!  We went to two stores, but mostly everything I bought was from a store called “Centre Fair”.  One of my friends jokes that this is the Bed Bath and Beyond of PoG.  While I was SO excited to find all these “necessities”, I was not so excited to see the receipt at the end.  Things are so expensive here!! For example, during this trip I bought:

-1 large wooden bowl

-toilet bowl cleaner

-windex

-8 plastic cups

-40 solo cups -in case we find some beer pong players

-tin foil

-plastic wrap

-2 pot holders

-8 sponges

-package of napkins

-4 small plastic bowls

-2 small metal shelves

-1 flexible cutting board

-24 hangers

-scissors

All of these items (which I know I could find at Dollar General back home!!) came out to 68,000 CFA.  This translates to roughly $136.00!!! I was absolutely blown away.  My friends have said eventually you just stop looking at prices because that is just how things are here.  The other tricky thing is the only place that takes credit cards is Super CK2… everywhere else is cash only.

My husband and I had discussed, prior to moving over here, how we had hoped this experience would give us a new appreciation for how truly blessed we are and recognize how accessible everything is back at home…. I think its safe to say that process has already begun.