Author: Elizabeth
Picture: Tongan Market (picture by Janice)
Days at Sea: 362

As we approach our one-year anniversary of living on the boat, I find it interesting to reflect on the roles we assumed at sea. Back in San Francisco, we worked, worked out a lot and had many social engagements both with each other and alone. In short, we were both independent, there were not male roles and female roles. I can count on my fingers & toes all the times I cooked dinner in our apartment, we had a maid, and a landlord for any repairs. This all changed on the boat. Once living aboard Honeymoon, it became readily apparent that Seth needed to be a handyman, diesel mechanic, rigging specialist, generator-repairman and fiberglass scrubber. I was perfectly happy not participating in any of those jobs but that left all of the "women's work" (cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, organizing, laundry, etc) to me. We became a couple of the 50's without even realizing it at first, it happened quite naturally.

I have never been one of those women who dreams of quitting work once she gets married. In fact, my job is one of the biggest things I miss on this trip but what I can say is completing the "women's work" in the places we have been has definitely created challenges and opportunities for problem solving. Convenience is king in America but the rest of the world has to work a bit harder to gather supplies. Grocery stores are usually small, independently owned with at least half the shelf space dedicated to random things like flip flops, cheap plastic toys, or socks. Other shelves are lined with row upon row of canned meats, Vienna sausages and sardines. Entire sections will be dedicated to cooking oil, strange seasonings, and various sauces. In short, it is difficult to find anything to actually eat. In fact, right now in Vava'u it is impossible to find even the basics like eggs or sugar and forgot about chicken breast. Cruisers are bartering supplies like cavemen once did (ok, maybe that is a stretch but I am trying to emphasize the desperation). No one goes to the grocery store with a list, what would be the point. You go and figure it out. As I have basically taught myself how to cook over this year (friends can attest to me using ovens in past apartments for clothes storage), I dream of the day I could actually get an amazing selection of ingredients for the recipes I would like to make.

So those of you out there lucky enough to be living in America, the Land of the Free and Home of Convenience rejoice! As you pull into a strip mall that offers everything anyone could ever want from fast food burritos to Walgreens expansive selection to ATM's and Starbucks, cheer loudly! And as you drive your large SUV into Ralphs or Sams Club or Target and fill it up to the brim out of your shopping cart, maybe think of me carrying what I can on my back to my dingy then hauling it out and up into the boat and trying to find a place to put it, say a little hooray for your ease! Be thankful America, convenience rocks!