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Published: March 18th 2008
I’ve been traveling the world for four months. I have been to 11 countries on 4 continents since Thanksgiving. I have discovered many things about myself, about the people around me and humanity as a whole. We are all interconnected and so similar yet so different at the same time. I can best describe what I have seen and experienced through Skittles.
Yes, Skittles.
In America, a pack of skittles would cost roughly 60 cents. The bag would be in English with five flavors: grape, lime, orange, strawberry and lemon. Skittles would be sold at most grocery stores, markets, gas stations, etc.
In China, a pack of skittles costs roughly 10 cents. The bag still looks the same, except it’s in Mandarin. While still containing 5 flavors, they have changed. Instead of lime, the green skittles are sour apple. Skittles are sold at most grocery stores and markets.
In India, Skittles are nowhere to be found.
In South Africa, a pack of skittles would cost roughly $1. The bag would be in English, just as the American bag. The flavors again have changed. This time we have lime, lemon, orange, strawberry and black currant (which I think is rather disgusting). Skittles again are sold at grocery stores, markets and petrol stations.
In Cape Verde, skittles cost roughly $2. The bag’s contents are the same as American skittles, however the writing is in Portuguese instead of English. Skittles can be found in some corner stores or markets.
Everyone eats skittles differently. Some divide by color, some can’t eat two of one color in a row. Some just eat the skittles regardless of color, and others give away what they don’t like.
I ask that you step into my world for a minute and think about the implications of these Skittles. Why are Skittles in Cape Verde $2 and in China they’re 10 cents? Why are there different flavors in different parts of the world? And if you take away my metaphor for a minute, what does this tell us about globalization and the transfer of seemingly meaningless goods? What kind of local candy is no longer sold because Skittles were introduced into the market? Who are the people buying and eating these goods? Why do we all eat them differently? Why do we have routines or habits that might seem odd to others, yet are perfectly normal to us?
I realize this blog is a bit out of my norm and it might even seem pointless. I do a lot of random thinking on this boat & I chose to share my thoughts today. Maybe the next time you go to Sheetz or 7-11 and see a bag of Skittles, it’ll spark some random thinking of your own?
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aimee
non-member comment
skittles
thats interesting. whats sheetz??