Would You Like a Side of Plastic With That?

The culture shock I never expected in Spain

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I am head-over-heels in love with Mercadona.

After years of living in the United States, I can’t believe my eyes: a grocery store with a bottle of aloe vera lotion for under two euros— whaaaat?

Everywhere I look, prices are wildly different than what I am used to. The food is fresher, the quality higher. Also, the hummus — if you have not had the hummus from Mercadona, do yourself a favor.

I push my cart to the produce aisle, where I am greeted by a colorful array of fruits and vegetables. The Fuji apples call to me, and I accept their invitation. Some are a bit bruised, so I pick out a few at different levels of ripeness to correspond with when I’ll be eating them — yes, I’m that kind of fruit snob.

“Permiso — guantes por favor.”
“¿Perdona?”

A grocery store worker surprises me from behind. Sensing my confusion, he points towards a small cardboard box full of single-use plastic gloves. Next to me, I notice an older woman wearing the same gloves while picking out oranges. Ahh, I guess I should also be wearing them. As I put them on, I see the woman toss hers in a trash bin near the box. Well, that seems…wasteful.