Defeated at Ikea

We have been in Italy seven weeks now. In our apartment three weeks. We are unpacked. But everything is NOT in its final resting place. Main living areas are decluttered for the most part. But bedrooms and closets are crammed just to conceal things, the piles high and leaning like the tower of Pisa. We are need of some organization in the worst way. So, naturally we went to Ikea!

We (Brian, that is, I still haven't driven yet) geared up for the drive to Ikea last night, a Wednesday evening. We were warned that a weekend would be far too crowded, so we ate leftovers for dinner and scooted off with the kids in tow.

Which probably was our first mistake. Wandering through a one-way-maze-of-a-store with these helpers at 7pm (or anytime, really) is not ideal. And it never fails, someone needs to use the bathroom at the most inopportune moment...Sydney emergently notified me of her need for a bathroom as soon as we got started. So, away we raced through the many crowds (don't know how there could be MORE people in this store on a weekend, it was that crowded), muttering "scuzi" now and then (which clearly doesn't mean "move out of the way please" like "excuse me" does, since no one budged!) Sure enough, the bathroom was located at the END, which was also the beginning of the maze, near the cafeteria. At least we didn't have to backtrack...we just restarted the circuit all over again.

I instructed the kids to stay with Daddy, and got a 30-second head start. I raced around looking for everything on my list: a (pink?) rug for Sydney's room, something to organize the hall closets, something to organize the girls' toy closets, some more of the same shelving I've been using in the kitchen cabinets, curtains (although I forgot my measurements), and whatever else caught my fancy. But caught in the current of people, I reached the end with only two small storage items in my big yellow Ikea shopping bag. Not a good indication of success, but I trudged on and descended to the lower level to continue my search of the entire lower level despite feeling somewhat defeated already.

By this time, Brian had the brilliant idea to take the kids to the outdoor play area. And after about 45 minutes of "shopping," I'd reached the check-out area. Self-service lines for 15 items or fewer were empty. But alas, I don't read Italian to serve myself! All the other lines? Full of at least 15 people each with 50+ items! I hesitated and switched lines a few times, trying to estimate how much time this would take for my two items totaling less than $10...I figured at least 30 more minutes. So, I surrendered my big yellow Ikea bag on a nearby display of flower pots and walked toward the exit.

I tell myself I could have had this same experience at the Ikea in Northern Virginia or even Japan. But deep down, I know there's more to it than simple shopping frustration. Moving to a foreign country has its benefits, but it also has its initial challenges--which in my experience, usually require adjustments in my expectations and attitude. I'm not there quite yet, but I know I'll get there! But not with the help from the GPS, but that's another story...