Esselunga

Esselunga is a staple here in Pisa.  This is the Kroger of Italy.  Here you are able to become a membro and save soldi on all things supermarket.  I have had a few experiences at Esselunga already, and have already learned much about what it means to be a local here in Italy.

Step one, instead of grabbing a cart, or buggie, I get the small wheeled basket.  This makes much more sense because I have to carry my items to my apartment.  Buying more than 10 euros worth of product at once is a bad decision.

 

The carry cart with wheels.

Meat in the middle of the market for all hands to touch. Never in the US

Step two through produce.  This is my favorite things to eat, yet the most expensive. Why must it be this way.  I step up to the mysterious machine with pictures of produce all over it. What is this? Then I look at others grocery shopping Italians as they place their produce on this machine, push the picture of their item, take the ticket that comes out. Oh, wait....this is a scale. No mystery. In Italy customers must weigh their items before they reach checkout. This may be ok. Plus, I could learn Italian words for produce. Two birds. One stone.

Step three, well, I need toilet paper. So I must search for it. Hmmm....how do you say toilet paper in Italian.  I know carta means paper, so I search in every aisle that says carta. I find paper plates, paper towels, paper cups, and finally 20 minutes later, I find my needed item.

Step four, head to check out.  I feel slightly local, because I do have the membership card, and will save 30% on my items. Go me!  The checker tells me the total in Italian, then she turned the computer because I am obviously not an Italian with my strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. I stumble in wallet to get the correct amount, I am still not used to coins being worth so much.

I have to bag my own items, and because I am not used to bagging everything myself, I have a very slow strategy. First, I didn't have bags. Luckily they asked me if I needed one and I said, "Si."  I received a couple very thin, will definitely break on the way home, plastic bags.  Yes, they did tear on my way home. Walk to the bus stop, get on the bus, walk home from the bus stop, up to the fifth floor which is actually the sixth floor, and right in front of my door, as I struggled with the keys, out came all of my new found groceries. Open the door, kick the food in.  And I'm home.