What to do without Walmart?

Brooke Gottmeier 

Spain - Comillas Universidad 

Spring 2019 

I don't even shop at Walmart that often back home. Occasionally, I make a trip to Target, but both superstores are somewhat of an oddity for me. I go there if I need a new charger for my phone, or cheap plates for my kitchen, or new bed sheets—every time whatever I’m looking for is completely random and I always tend to find it. 

However, shortly after I got to Spain I realized that there was no superstore here. I needed all of these random things like tights, and nail polish, and kitchen utensils, and stamps, but I had no clue where to find them. 

One of the first situations that I encountered with this dilemma was with my great journey to find tights. Being that Spain is cold and Hawaii is not, I owned none of these elusive articles of clothing. 

I went to buy some at the Zara near my house and left empty handed. Next, I went to the underwear store—nothing. I tried the closest thing we have to a department store here in Spain, El Corte Inglés, but I only found handbags and watches. 

Yet, on the streets all around me were girls were wearing tights! I had absolutely no clue where they were getting them! Being that I was in Spain, Amazon could not save the day this time. So, I spent the rest of the week frustratingly trying different stores and keeping my eyes out for the secret tight superstore. 

Finally I broke down and decided to ask the “stupid question”:

So, I asked my host mom, “¿Dónde compras medias?”.

She replied, “A la merceria medias”. 

After she gave me directions, I headed over to the merceria medias and was surprised to find the cutest little store jam packed with tights in every inch of it. So this was were everyone was getting them… 

I got a pair and headed home feeling relieved and slightly accomplished for figuring out the mystery. 

Though my great journey to find the elusive Spanish tights, I learned several things that I’d love to share with you guys so you don’t run into the same situation:

1. JUST ASK FOR HELP! No question is stupid. You are in a new country where everything, including the language, is foreign to you. Don’t be afraid! Most people are more than willing to help you out, so even if it’s a stranger just ask. 
2. We are very spoiled in the U.S. with giant superstores and Amazon to answer our every need. 
3. In Europe if you can’t immediately think of where to buy something, it’s likely being sold at a tiny little specialty store. To find it either (A) ask for help or (B) try translating the name of what you are looking for and then google it. If you just google it in English, you likely won't find the best results. 
4. Try not to get frustrated! You will find everything in time, and adjusting to these difference is just a part of life while abroad. To me, I found the tights situation hilarious. The fact that they have a whole merceria just for tights here I found to be so cute and funny. Try to take everything lightly! It’s all a process.