Sometimes I'll go into a shop, and for a moment, I can almost fool myself into thinking that I'm home, before I remember that I'm actually in a different country. A while ago, I was actually in Claire's (how American is that? The Spanish don't even use apostrophe marks), just to be able to see something familiar. I enjoy looking at their products, but I don't think I've bought anything from them in a number of years.
I also recently went to Hibernian Books, which is this great place that sells books in English. No, it's not the same as sitting in Barnes & Noble, but it was close enough for me. I got a copy of The Mayor of Casterbridge, which I was reading before I left for Spain but never finished. I haven't actually had time to continue it though...Speaking of bookstores, I also went into Casa del Llibre by Placa Catalunya today...It's fairly large, and there's a small section with books in English, which makes me happy.
Anyways, this feeling of familiarity also seems to happen every time I fall asleep on the metro. The soothing, rocking motions remind me of home, until I hear the recording announcing the next stop. In Spanish, of course.
One thing that really strikes me as different (aside from the obvious) is that the Sephora I went to didn't have disposable lip gloss applicators. I suppose that fits in with this whole environmentally-friendly business, but I still find it very odd. I was pretty shocked, actually. Obviously I won't be able to try random lip glosses in Spain. I suppose Spaniards just use the communal one..?
Here's to finding the familiar, even as a stranger in a strange land.
Posted by
Helena
1 comments:
book stores are amazing!!!!!!!!
they are such deep places of learning and sharing- what is more interesting than a book?
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