It occurred to me that there are some very ordinary errands that we all juggle each week without thinking twice about the details. I'm talking specifically about going to the supermarket, post office or even pharmacy. Since my arrival in Italy, I have experienced a few new details to complete these tasks and thought they might be interesting to share.
To begin, just outside the entrance of an average supermercato, the shopping carts are all lined up, connected together by a chain. In order to gain use of a cart, you must pay 50 cents to 1 euro to "release" the cart from the line. (Of course, you receive your coin when you return the cart). The upside is that the shops manage to keep more of their carts. The downside is not having any coins at the moment when you really need a cart. :) Like most grocery shops, you enter the land of fruits and vegetables first. Immediately I noticed that in addition to tearing off a plastic bag from the roll, you should also take a thin plastic glove to select your fruits/veggies. It is frowned upon to grab the produce without a glove. Next you walk over to the weigh station and select "frutta or verdura" on the scale and then choose the corresponding photo with number that matches your item. The little scale quickly prints out a barcode sticker with a price for your item to place on the bag. This makes it more efficient when checking out. No wait time for produce to be weighed. One main difference of course is the endless choices of bread and cheeses! I could spend all day choosing different combinations. The rest of the shopping experience is very similar to shopping in any other supermarket in the world. As you enter the line to pay, loading your groceries onto the belt...you quickly choose the type of bag you prefer. Paper, plastic or reusable? They all cost and more often than not, you must ask the cashier for the type of bag you need in advance. All groceries are "bag yourself" which is great when there is not a huge line of people behind you. ;) Proud to say my speed at filling grocery bags is now pretty efficient :) Reusable brought from home of course. I'll admit just strolling up and down the aisles can be quite an adventure. By the way, it's one of Michele's favorite activities when visiting the U.S.
In the post office, pharmacy etc, upon entering you must "take a number" just like at the DMV. You must present your national health card when purchasing meds to receive the proper tax deduction later. The other day I proudly presented my card. The pharmacist smiled and asked "Are you English or ?" I didn't understand why she was asking me that? (because I asked in Italiano for the medicine I needed) until I realized I presented the wrong ID. Clearly I was a foreigner. Sometimes I'm mistaken for being English because of the freckles, fair skin and brown hair.
In the post office, you must choose the number corresponding to which service you need (to send letters, packages or perhaps paying a tax etc). One recent detail I learned of is that you can have a regular bank account within the post office itself. Interesting. However buying a book of normal stamps via a bank ATM is not foreseen. However you can purchase stamps in a local bar. Oh and by the way..."ATM" is the name of the main transportation system, not a cash machine. You can imagine that it was a little confusing when I first arrived.
