Target is my Happiest Place on Earth.

My kids come to the US and they turn into little consumers. "I want this" and "I want that."  It's hilarious at first and horrendous by the end. 

And it's all my fault, to say the least.  As an expat living in Rio de Janeiro, a panic floods goes over me the moment I enter into a store such as target.  Where to go! What to buy!  How to pack it all up!

So much stuff and for so few dollars. I don't even know which section to start in.  Brazilians fly up to go to Disneyland and outlet shops. I come home to go to Target and the grocery store. 

Of course there are the practical purchases such as electronics and baby gear.  Those items are worth triple their value in Brazil.  Then there's the stupid stuff. 

I bought pans, non stick, KitchenAid pans and ziplock bags. Then there are the cloth fold down kid toy boxes for storage.  I also purchased cotton granny panties for those special granny pantie days (my ass could never fit the Brazilian version of the granny pantie).  Jeans, socks, skincare, and toys are some of the many items we'll be lugging home.

Thank goodness for Christmas, sales, and a 70lb luggage limit when you buy your tickets originating in Brazil. 

Toys are a big kicker. I have two boys and they aren't babies anymore. They get hardly anything all year.  And that's because toys are EXPENSIVE!  So much so that one day I may tell my children to use... gasp... their imagination. 

So when they show me this very cool toy and ask if it's too much money, I have a hard time saying it is. FYI, my typical Brazilian store response is that it costs too much to buy and No.  

Here it's honestly hard to say that. It's like last stop shopping.  Who knows when we'll be back and there's no way in toy store hell that I'm buying these kinds of toys in Brazil.

Thus, I compulsively let them put their choices into the cart. Once it's there, it stays. Taking it out because sense kicks in makes me feel like a dick tease only with children and toys.  Better yet, a toy tease. 

Wishy washy does not a good parent make.  So I sucked it up and let them walk out with, once again, a new toy each. Under $20 and smaller than the one they originally asked for, like it makes a difference.

Oh well, all the noes in Rio de Janeiro should wash off all the spoiled of the US. 

Honestly, it's kind of nice to be able to spoil the little guys every once in a while.  Goodness knows their Father and I are spoiling ourselves!

Missing jeitinho

I am having a serious case of the missings.  What am I missing?  Jeitinho!  Jeitinho, if you do no know already, is a sassy Brazilian way of bending laws, rules, and boundaries.  While it's not always the best thing for a government, it's pretty awesome using it day to day.

You see, I'm in the US, the consumer capital of the world.  I would like to buy things. Normally, that is not a problem, unless you want something you need a prescription for.

I, myself, would like to stock up on contacts. I can save a pretty penny buying them here. I basically get 4 boxes for the price of 1 back in Brazil. Awesome! So, I talked to my Brazilian Optometrist and got him to write my Rx out exactly like Americans do. Everything was perfect.

That was, until, I spoke with 1800 Contacts. It appears that the contacts prescribed for my right eye are discontinued.  No, they can not switch it to another brand. No they do not want my money.

Helly! Jeitinho? Switch it. What's the big deal!  I even went into Walmart and asked there. They were going to just switch it but the computer wouldn't let them add my doctor. Again, Jeitinho! I don't know about them, but when I worked in sales, I made the sales happen.  Get creative. Put a local number.  Mess with the address a bit.

Of course my All American family reminds me they could get in trouble for doing that. Why?  Because I'm going to get high off my contacts? Oh no, wait, it was an excuse to charge me $200 for another check up, just to make sure they could switch to an equivalent.

Youuuu Whoooo, I'm the buyer here.  My Doctor isn't the one who should decide the brand, I should. I should be able to switch based on saving a dollar or getting a free sticker if I want.  It's like prescription and generic.

Oh well. 1800 Contacts, you can kiss your $100 goodbye.  I'm taking me, my crappy eyes, and my Brazilian Rx to a small local Optometrist and see if I can Americanize the jeitinho and get me some cheap contacts.

Commerce Day

So tomorrow is commerce day in Rio de Janeiro. To true Carioca style, the shops will be closed. 

What? No sales?  No come in and spend you money? 

Nope. This is Rio.  People would rather have the day off.  For example, all the hip clothing shops in Ipanema are closed on Sundays.  You´d think they´d stay open and get the street traffic from all the beach goers. Hell no! They are the beach goers! 

And do non-retail working Cariocas complain? Not at all. They understand the wanting of a day off.  They too enjoy days off. 

Of course, you can always go to the mall.  The mall is open, shortened hours but open. 

I have to say, I was originally annoyed by this. The thought that I can´t go to the supermarket because it´s commerce day was irritating.  Now I prepare. I went to the store this evening to stock up on the little things I´ll need tomorrow. 

In the end, I enjoy it. It shows the Brazilian´s priorities.  And they are right, it´s not about the money! 

I´m just surprised my kid´s school isn´t closed.