Sometimes off the beaten path is just around the corner.
I asked a few friends where I could get a facial or manicure or pedicure in town. One suggested the salon where she works part-time. "It's really near the shops your house," she told me. Another friend had taken me to these shops months ago, so I had an idea where they were. I wound back to them last night. Sure enough, they are almost in walking distance of my apartment, as the crow flies.
Lo, there was a veritable treasure trove of shops back there! I had been looking for scarves that other time, so I didn't check out the home goods store, the stationery store. This time I was looking for the salon, so I had time to wander around. I typically shop at the large, new supermarket in town, because it's fairly cheap and has all of the brands I want (and some)! But I realize that I'm missing out by not exploring some of these smaller shops!
True, most of the stores contain all the best of the made-in-China-by-slave-labor products. But amidst the jumble of the home goods store, I found the size of baking dish that I could not find in the supermarket. Same brand as the dishes in the supermarket, better size.
Then, the stationery store. I've been telling friends that it's difficult to find decent pens here. The ones in the supermarket are cheesy cheap. But I found my beloved G2 gel pens for $1.04 each in the stationery store tucked back in amongst the stores! Hooray! Who would've thunk?
Of course I faced the normal stares, especially from the men. Who is this white woman walking through the shops by herself? I answer them with a running commentary in my head. It's not always nice, and usually I repent if it's really not nice. But beyond stares and stores, I found friends. The friendly girls who greeted me warmly in the home goods store. Do you want anything? Where are you from? What is your name?
Then, as I was asking them where the salon was, a familiar young man slipped behind the counter. I had interviewed him earlier this week to place him in a class at our English institute! I greeted him warmly, and he grinned before showing me the way to the salon (pronounced "saloon" here--gotta love that).
Nooks and corners. I'm missing out by sticking with the big stores. All kinds of treasures are waiting in the little stores.
I asked a few friends where I could get a facial or manicure or pedicure in town. One suggested the salon where she works part-time. "It's really near the shops your house," she told me. Another friend had taken me to these shops months ago, so I had an idea where they were. I wound back to them last night. Sure enough, they are almost in walking distance of my apartment, as the crow flies.
Lo, there was a veritable treasure trove of shops back there! I had been looking for scarves that other time, so I didn't check out the home goods store, the stationery store. This time I was looking for the salon, so I had time to wander around. I typically shop at the large, new supermarket in town, because it's fairly cheap and has all of the brands I want (and some)! But I realize that I'm missing out by not exploring some of these smaller shops!
True, most of the stores contain all the best of the made-in-China-by-slave-labor products. But amidst the jumble of the home goods store, I found the size of baking dish that I could not find in the supermarket. Same brand as the dishes in the supermarket, better size.
Then, the stationery store. I've been telling friends that it's difficult to find decent pens here. The ones in the supermarket are cheesy cheap. But I found my beloved G2 gel pens for $1.04 each in the stationery store tucked back in amongst the stores! Hooray! Who would've thunk?
Of course I faced the normal stares, especially from the men. Who is this white woman walking through the shops by herself? I answer them with a running commentary in my head. It's not always nice, and usually I repent if it's really not nice. But beyond stares and stores, I found friends. The friendly girls who greeted me warmly in the home goods store. Do you want anything? Where are you from? What is your name?
Then, as I was asking them where the salon was, a familiar young man slipped behind the counter. I had interviewed him earlier this week to place him in a class at our English institute! I greeted him warmly, and he grinned before showing me the way to the salon (pronounced "saloon" here--gotta love that).
Nooks and corners. I'm missing out by sticking with the big stores. All kinds of treasures are waiting in the little stores.
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