shopping

I went shopping today. I bought a birthday card for a friend that shall remain unnamed (please pretend that you’re surprised) and an orange. Seemingly simple, but alas, yet another challenge. I went to the supermarket first and brought my cashews and orange up to the register. The lady looked at me and spat something incomprehensible. My response was to pick up my stuff and go to another register. At this one, I got the same look from a different girl then she turned around and handed my orange to someone else. I stood there smiling for lack of anything else to do or to say. After an agonizing 45 seconds, my orange was returned, now in a plastic bag with a price sticker. I ate the orange on the beach, but saved the bag and sticker so I can figure out how to shop properly next time.

My second try was at the Mercado de los Artesanos, which is this beautiful store where you can buy stuff directly from the artists who make it. It’s full of lovely and weird things. I took this photo there. The sign says “made of leather,” which blew my mind. When I found a card I liked, I picked it up to bring it to the register. The artist followed me and asked me if I wanted a receipt. I said yes and he took the card from my hand and handed me a piece of paper in its place. I went to the register. I paid. I walked back to the artist’s stand and handed him the receipt. He told me to go to the side of the register. I went to the side of the register. They told me to go to the other side. I went to the other side. I handed the guy behind this register my receipt. I got my card. By the time I left, I was feeling half like a fool (I crossed the store five times) and half on the top of my game (I understood all the Spanish!)

Encounters such as these, obviously, 1 – embarrass me and 2 – put things in perspective. Essentially, I am a child here, unable to complete simple transactions. When I have a basic interaction without incident, I feel like my mom should be standing behind me cheering me on and giving me cookies. It’s terribly humbling.