Banana Republic", I heard the term before, I saw it printed in someone else`s shirt, but I didn't really exactly know what it meant. I looked it up in the dictionary and there, my vague notion of it`s meaning is confirmed:
banana republic
n : a small country (especially in Central America) that is politically unstable and whose economy is dominated by foreign companies and depends on one export (such as bananas).
In a Japanese supermarket, I noticed that the Philippine imported bananas' price was reduced from 99 Yen (roughly 50 pesos) to 86Yen, that was, because they are a little over riped this time. Over my several trips to that supermarket, I noticed that the banana price are the cheapest. FOUR PIECES OF FLAWLESS bananas usually cost 99 Yen. And if they are not bought and become over riped, (which is often the case in this grocery where I went) the price was greatly reduced. I bought ONE PIECE of peach, it costs 159 Yen. And ONE SMALL Fuji apple that costs at least 135 Yen. (made in China Fuji apple in the Phils cost 10 to 12 pesos). A SMALL SLICE of water melon was 299 Yen.
I usually bought bananas whenever I went to the supermarket. I buy the bananas not only because they are the cheapest fruit in the supermarket but also because they are from the Philippines. I thought I might be helping the Filipino farmers by buying their products. One time, I saw one whole stack of slightly over-riped bananas in the supermarket sold in half the normal selling price. What would the grocers do to it if nobody buys it? I hope they wont just throw it away.
Yes, the Japs signed to the globalization trade pact, that is why bananas are abundant in Japan. I also saw imported meat from the US, Brazil and as far as Denmark. Some ponkans from the US too. It didn't escape my attention that these imported meat and fruits were very cheap compared to those produced in Japan.
I remember one time at the airport in Manila, after checking in, boarding and undergoing all those screenings, I suddenly felt a bout of thirst that I wanted to buy the first bottled water I could find. I pointed to a small bottled water to the salesman, "65 pesos", he said. "Why so expensive!" I exclaimed... Same sized standard mineral water in the normal grocery store would cost 10 pesos! I would expect that here it would be at most 15 to 20 pesos. Then with a misplaced proud smile he said; "because this one is imported".
I remember, the name of that mineral water was "Evian". So I thought this one is truly special because of its special price. But when I came to Japan, I saw it was one of the cheaper if not the cheapest mineral waters sold in the stores. Perhaps because it is competing fiercely with Japanese tea bottles and Japan produced mineral waters?
I just hope my country will someday cease being a Banana Republic.
banana republic
n : a small country (especially in Central America) that is politically unstable and whose economy is dominated by foreign companies and depends on one export (such as bananas).
In a Japanese supermarket, I noticed that the Philippine imported bananas' price was reduced from 99 Yen (roughly 50 pesos) to 86Yen, that was, because they are a little over riped this time. Over my several trips to that supermarket, I noticed that the banana price are the cheapest. FOUR PIECES OF FLAWLESS bananas usually cost 99 Yen. And if they are not bought and become over riped, (which is often the case in this grocery where I went) the price was greatly reduced. I bought ONE PIECE of peach, it costs 159 Yen. And ONE SMALL Fuji apple that costs at least 135 Yen. (made in China Fuji apple in the Phils cost 10 to 12 pesos). A SMALL SLICE of water melon was 299 Yen.
I usually bought bananas whenever I went to the supermarket. I buy the bananas not only because they are the cheapest fruit in the supermarket but also because they are from the Philippines. I thought I might be helping the Filipino farmers by buying their products. One time, I saw one whole stack of slightly over-riped bananas in the supermarket sold in half the normal selling price. What would the grocers do to it if nobody buys it? I hope they wont just throw it away.
Yes, the Japs signed to the globalization trade pact, that is why bananas are abundant in Japan. I also saw imported meat from the US, Brazil and as far as Denmark. Some ponkans from the US too. It didn't escape my attention that these imported meat and fruits were very cheap compared to those produced in Japan.
I remember one time at the airport in Manila, after checking in, boarding and undergoing all those screenings, I suddenly felt a bout of thirst that I wanted to buy the first bottled water I could find. I pointed to a small bottled water to the salesman, "65 pesos", he said. "Why so expensive!" I exclaimed... Same sized standard mineral water in the normal grocery store would cost 10 pesos! I would expect that here it would be at most 15 to 20 pesos. Then with a misplaced proud smile he said; "because this one is imported".
I remember, the name of that mineral water was "Evian". So I thought this one is truly special because of its special price. But when I came to Japan, I saw it was one of the cheaper if not the cheapest mineral waters sold in the stores. Perhaps because it is competing fiercely with Japanese tea bottles and Japan produced mineral waters?
I just hope my country will someday cease being a Banana Republic.
4 comments:
Anonymous said...
Evian spelled backwards is naive. Next time drink tap water. :)
artemis said...
ha ha ha, 'naive' you are right! why didn't I think of that?! i do drink tap water everyday, my water does not come from the water district :-)
I could I will said...
This reminds me of an uttering by a Russian Red Army general. Few years after the Cold War finished, they asked him why Russia still wants to have so many nuclear weapons when it's economically such a burden for the country. He said: "If we give up the nuclear weapons we'll turn into a banana republic. We won't ever let that happen."
Imagine Russia as a banana republic.
Now imagine nuclear missiles like bananas.
Have fun...
artemis said...
he he, funny and ironic, Big brother bear as banana republic and nuclear missiles truly resemble the shape of bananas, except that real bananas are curvy..