Going to the supermarket here in my host country is an experience all on its own. I do have the luxury of an indoor supermarket that is nice with stocked shelves. The import section in my new city is about the size of the Asian import section in my hometown. I now know how those Asians feel living in small US cities.
One area of the supermarket that I try to stay away from is the laundry detergent/health and beauty aids area. In other parts of the store, the staff just kind of let you look and don't try and make suggestions. But in this part of the store, they are VERY willing to make suggestions and tell you what they think is the best brand for the best price. On a recent trip, I needed to buy some body wash...very simple, right??? As soon as I walked up the aisle a swarm of employees started coming up to me and giving me their suggestions. I turned around and counted them. I counted eight women around me picking up bottles for me to try out and give my approval. This was a culture stress moment for me. I wanted to scream and run out (REALLY)! It was quite overwhelming. It was Father who helped me to calmly continue on my quest for this body wash and finally find a suitable fragrance. I politely thanked them ALL and headed for the checkout. Whew! Moral of the story...buy your body wash in a small store with only one clerk:)
