A Little Convenience Never Hurt Anyone

The question: Ready made chicken strips or chicken breasts? I went with chicken strips. I sat in the meat section pretty proud of all my meat decisions and my stocking up for after the baby comes with some great meat deals. I was feeling sorted, in control and down right proud of myself for thinking ahead to food and meals Sam and I liked and that were healthy too!

The response: With my wife and new mommy pride mounting at my incredible organization I was quickly reminded what my Nana said ALL the time to me: Pride cometh before the fall little Dana (Evidently pride was a normal part of my life as a little girl :)

The fall: As I sat beaming at myself and wondering if I should by a few more things, a random man appears out of no where. I hear in the distance, or what seemed like the distance because I was in my "I'm so cool" world at the moment and this was definitely not coming from that world, "You know you can buy chicken breasts and cut them?" All the while staring at my ready cut strips of chicken in my head. I was so shocked I am not even sure I responded in a normal person time frame. I just stared. He pointed again to the chicken breasts and just looked at me awaiting my answer. I guess at this point I had a few choices--none of which I really entertained, I just pretty much went with my good ol' standard, emotionally respond but still try to people please at the same time. I finally said, "Yeah I know." Smiling looking down at my 9 month pregnant belly and proceeded to add, "It's just easier right now." He shook his head in disdain and disapproval and walked away. I am not sure if he was more disappointed that I knew that you could actually cut up chicken breast in the chicken strips size for stir fry's and curry's OR the fact that I didn't throw my packaged convenience back in the meat section and BURST INTO SONG that I would no longer choose convenience over the cheaper price.

The reaction: I, all of a sudden, was FURIOUS! I LOVE grocery shopping and I love planning and getting things all organized and my proverbial bubble of happiness was POPPED! I was so angry that he not only stopped and said something so DUMB but that he gave me a disapproving look. What if I had a phobia of buying chicken and I had just had the courage to overcome it? Okay I know a bit ridiculous but it made me laugh to think about it. I quickly text Sam so irritated and was so mad at the whole of Kiwi culture and my disapproving actions that continue to grate on me. He responded amazingly having lived in both countries and even added, "That is blog worthy for sure!" It's chicken people! Cut in little strips! To make my life a little easier! C'mon! I of course thought of better reactions as I went up and down the aisles wishing for every convenient thing I could think of...cake box mixes, fabric softeners for dryers, lunchables (I don't even like lunchables!), anything at all. I wanted to fill my cart with convenient food and have no one say a word! I then thought of the best line ever I could have said, "Oh AND I dry my clothes in a dryer TOO." (and I have to say that my friend Amy said I should have added, too, 'AND I make cakes out of a box, drove an SUV, and drink LARGE Lattes' hehehehhe That made me laugh out loud!)

The reality: I actually do like SO many things about NZ. I like having the outlet of the blog to get over the differences...that are just that differences but to do it without answering questions or having to justify what is SO absolutely normal in my old world. Last night on my drive home I was thinking of all things I would miss if we were to move out of NZ. The list was long and was almost sad to think about. Reality is that there are things you LOVE and HATE anywhere you are. It's just part of life. I HATE that when I use my dryer, not unlike my American friends that are daily using their dyer, I feel twinges of guilt. I HATE THAT! It's funny how strong cultural norms can be on people. Not to mention the fact that for me and my own development having people or a culture disapprove of my actions is SO hard. I am growing in that and I think that might be one of God's biggest gifts to me in this last year of life--how to be okay that not everyone approves of you. I truly don't think that there is anything wrong with drying clothes or making a cake out of a box. The amount of head shakes I get for drying clothes is sometimes more than I care to bare. And the looks of utter shock that I would actually dry clothes and not really "make" a cake because to use a box mix is NOT making a cake it's putting ingredients together....TRUE, it is just putting a few less ingredients than if you were to do it by scratch though. And I have to be honest...the cakes here don't taste all that much better than good ol' faithful homemade cakes in America. Pillsbury and Duncan Hines aren't messin' around.

Reality is that my norm is not the norm here all the time. And NZ is not a land of convenience at all what so ever. There is something very cool and noble about that sometimes. It isn't my end all for life though. I like the convenience of life, mostly because it's what I grew up with, no different than Kiwi's that didn't grow up with convenience. It's all just learning and accepting it is what it is. I bake cakes out of a box, I don't hang my clothes out to dry, I don't always buy chicken breast and cut them, I like ready made gingerbread kits at Christmas and have no need to do everything from scratch. Ahhhh I may never fully fit in New Zealand but at least my stories will be great! And hey, you can't beat the accent and the fact that I love NZ for two VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT reasons: the fact that NZ gave me my amazingly perfect for me Husband and a sweet little boy that could potentially be here in 21 days from today. I can handle the disapproving stares, glares and annoying comments if it means that I get to come home to those two for the rest of my life :)