Culture Shock 02: Reintroduction into Consumer America

Dear America,

I officially (and quite literally) took my first steps outside into the cold hard world of consumerism. I tried very hard to buy things at Costco and also on the internet, but largely failed.

My biggest purchases at Costco may have been contact solution and brie. Aside from my delicious cheese (you can never go wrong with cheese that comes in a wheel), I found that Costco was too full of preservatives, sugars and engineered food oils. Once upon a time all of these things seemed so delicious, and of course candy still is. However, the baked goods were lackluster. So I bought the ingredients instead to make my own. I felt like I walked through the entire warehouse at least three times, but still gained weight from all the free samples (most of which I avoided). However, I will save ranting about food for a later post, but here is a preview:

America you have grown too fat and lazy!

The reason why Americans are overweight and malnourished (not undernourished) is a combination of food engineering and heating/air conditioning...

My other two forays involve the internet. I, having spent the last three or so years in Africa, seldom access the majority of my accounts for this or that site on the internet. Now upon my return, I lock myself out of one of said accounts out of incompetency (typing on the US keyboard is hard!) and too many passwords in my head. Two hours of head banging later in an attempt to reach a human being on the automated customer service phone lines, I was finally able to reset the password to my account. The issue was not the confusing menus, but the fact that each time I was "being transferred" to a customer service representative after pressing the correct buttons the call dropped! I tried multiple customer service lines available for the company and same result. After much frustration and resorting to button mashing, I was finally transfered to a representative when the call dropped. So, after a final round of frustration and button mashing, I finally communicated with a human being and got my account issues resolved.

I don't understand why it is so difficult to communicate with an actual human being in this country! We expect excellent customer service from others, but don't provide it ourselves (actually, it seemed like the machines were programmed to frustrate clients, but this is true on a broader level). In addition, I remember now how much I disliked being an "overrepresented" minority in this great country. It seems as if no matter where I end up in the world, I will have to deal with being different from the rest of the majority. Even in Asia, I physically stand out. Ack, more on being a minority in America and in Peace Corps in a later retrospective post. But a small excerpt of my thoughts:

When will the world become color blind and finally see people for their actual intentions, skills, and character?

Anyway, my final foray into consumerism was eBay. I attempted to buy things. I realize that purchasing Sims 3 may will ruin my productivity and impede my job hunt. Luckily, outbid. I realize that I don't need another pair of beautiful cute shoes... but I do really want them. Luckily, also outbid. What I don't understand is why there are no flat ankle boots with a pointed-toe out on the market. I had a pair in high school that I thought was fabulous. (More on high school later) Unfortunately, they disappeared sometime between high school and now. Heeled ankle boots are aesthetically pleasing for so many reasons, but oh so impractical, especially right now with ice and snow everywhere.

So, in conclusion. I am too overwhelmed to buy anything because the majority of products are full of fillers I don't need, or particularly want. The products I do want are extremely difficult to find (and not in fashion, which means they will be in next year, everyone be forewarned). So instead of exhausting myself by trying to be a consumer and interview for various opportunities (I've hardly slept these past few days, though it may be partially because of an extremely rich diet providing me with oodles of energy), I believe I will, focus myself on my future and not my present. (This goes back to my argument of Now vs. kNow).

Hmm... maybe I'll actually sleep tonight.

Busua Beach, Ghana, August 2010. They have trash cans there!
This may have been the first time I ever took a vacation just to relax and sit on the beach for multiple days where all I did was eat, drink and love...everything!