The nearest shopping district clusters around a large public square and features a mixture of small independent shops and larger retail stores. The largest store is a multilevel department store that sells a variety of goods. In the basement is a Wal-Mart surrounded by a collection of smaller specialty shops.
The Wal-Mart is at the same time familiar to anyone who has ever shopped in one and distinctly foreign. Most older Wal-Mart shoppers would likely recognize the displays from an earlier time before the décor in US stores was upgraded. Row upon row of floor to ceiling shelves hold goods arranged haphazardly. Can’t find what you want? Just dig around and it might come to the surface.
The grocery side of the story resembled a discount chain more than a modern Wal-Mart superstore. Like the department store side, tall shelves were stacked with food items both strange and familiar. The produce aisle held fruits and vegetables one might see in any grocery store, plus many more unidentifiable varieties. Perhaps the most unusual section was the one displaying meat, poultry and seafood. Here, open bins held fresh fish, chicken, and pork legs on beds of ice. The display looked like pictures from an open-air market of the 19th century in the United States, complete with swarms of flies.
Among the unfamiliar grocery items were ones with familiar logos, like Kellogg’s Cheerios. The box was smaller than in a US grocery store and it was expensive compared to US prices, but it was a welcome find, since I have been eating breakfast in my room most days.
Checking out wasn’t so different than in the US. When it came time to pay, I was not able to use my credit card because I had forgotten to look up my PIN. Fortunately, I had sufficient cash. One thing on the agenda for next week is to open a Chinese bank account and secure a debit card.
Slowly, the living space is coming together, and I’m feeling more comfortable in it. There are still a few items to add, but nothing urgent. The next two weeks will be devoted to preparing to teach classes, which start September 22.
Monday, September 8, is Autumn Festival, so the next entry will be about that.
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