One of the big adjustments to make when moving between cultures is the difference in abundance. While traveling I get used to the 5 outfits I’ve packed. My decisions are limited by the small selection of clothes. When I return home to my closets full of things, suddenly there are so many decisions to make. For the first few days of my return, I actually ended up wearing the outfits I went to India with, just so that I would not have to make those decisions.
The adjustment to abundance is on full display when restocking the kitchen after a month of vacation. In Padhar, the village market happens each Saturday. The farmers, fish merchants, chicken-sellers and all bring their goods to the main road and the people stroll by and pick up their eggs, onions, potatoes…whatever is needed. There are a lot of options - but the same produce. Do you want to buy your potatoes from this farmer or that farmer? Which one looks better? What is the best deal?
After I returned, I made a trip to Sprouts to get a few things…. and I was overwhelmed with the decisions to make. Do I want red onions or green? Sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, red potatoes? Red apples, granny smiths, fuji, gala, honeycrisp? (Don’t even lead me down the cereal or salad dressing aisles!) Why do we need so many options? I long for the limitations.