The Little Things

This is not the first time in my life I've moved half way across the world, but it is the first time in a long time. Perhaps because it's been a while, I forgot how much the little things are the things that trip you up the most. For example, when I moved to Boston from London I was looking for double cream and mince in the supermarket only to be told that there is no such thing as double cream and I can find the mints by the check out. This time I've had the added entertainment of a language barrier (although I would argue that American English and British English is still a language barrier.)

Yesterday, I had two goals. 1) to find a fitted sheet for my bed as I was getting wrapped up in the flat sheet at night, and 2) to find a hair straightener as the one I brought with me from the States promptly started chugging out smoke on being switched on -- I assume due to the different power levels. Normally a quick trip to Target would solve both problems in a matter of minutes. Not so when you're abroad.

My first attempt at buying a hair straightener took me to the farmacia but no joy there. Then I tried the big supermercat around the corner but once again, nada. On my way, I walked past a bed linen shop and went in only to discover that descriptions like double bed, or queen size bed are meaningless -- instead I need to know the measurements of my bed in centimeters. Hunh.

Fortunately when I got home, I bumped into my landlord who measured my mattress and went to the store for me to explain to the guy what I needed (he has very little faith in my Spanish and I don't blame him a bit). His helpfulness ran out however when I brought up the hair straightener -- even when I showed it to him he didn't know what one was.

So later that evening I went back to the bedding store (stores close here from 1 to about 5pm then stay open to 8 or 9pm) and as soon as I walked in the door the owner sized me up as a the mujer Americana and reached behind him for... not at all what I wanted. Instead of a fitted sheet, he had a bizarre plastic mattress liner. So then, with a lot of pantomime and a little Spanish I explained what I needed and finally made the purchase. And being Spain, with my fitted sheet, I got a free painted fan. Who knows what fun tomorrow will bring!