Number Ten: Shopping

There are several key differences between Rwandan and American shopping. 

As you all know, America has fixed prices that are generally clearly labeled and sometimes things go on sale for a lower price than is marked.  America has barcodes and scanners.  America has paper or plastic (bags and payment methods). 

At the market in Rwanda, no prices are marked, and you have to bargain for your fresh fruits and vegetables.  We know the market prices and refuse to pay the Muzungu prices we are often given.  We know that a kilo of potatoes is 100RWF (20 cents); a bunch of the sweetest little bananas in the world is 250RWF (50 cents); a kilo of tomatoes is 300RWF (60 cents).  And don’t expect to be able to pay for those bananas with a 2000RWF bill.  Change is VERY hard to come by.

In the supermarkets, you find some prices marked, but many times you ask the cashier (or anyone else who happens to be shopping) for prices.  When you check out, he or she will punch in the numbers on a calculator and show you the final price.  They will bag up everything in brown paper bags—a little bigger than a lunch bag and a tad smaller than a paper grocery bag—because President Kagame has outlawed plastic bags in Rwanda.  Rwanda is way more green than the US could ever hope to be, out of necessity.  (No point in drilling kids with reduce, reuse, recycle around these parts; the three R’s are second nature here!)

In Rwanda, there is no such thing as price fluctuation.  You want a fresh pineapple from the market?  200 RWF (40 cents).  You want to fly to Johannesburg next month? $711.  Want to fly there tomorrow?  $711.  First class? $711.  How about a jar of peanut butter from the supermarket?  3000 RWF ($6).  Today, tomorrow, and always.

Shopping is a leisure activity in the States but is basically only done out necessity in Rwanda.  If you need something, you go buy it.  If you don’t need it, why would you buy it?