Grocery Shopping

     Grocery shopping has been interesting.  I have avoided it, due to fear.  I went by myself, thinking that it wouldn't be that hard.  Seven items and 1 hour later, I learned just how hard shopping in a foreign country can be.
     First, I needed grocery bags.  In the states, its easy.  But here, you have to get the correct color bags.  The yellow bag is for "wet" items.  For example, food, bones, banana peels.  The blue bag is for plastics and the pink bag for everything else.  If you do not seperate the garbage correctly, you will receive a large fine.  And yes, the managers of the buildings are known to go through your garbage.  Gross.  Come to find out there are also different sizes.  I didn't realize this until I got home (with the smallest bag I have ever seen). lol.
     Second, you can manage to get by with looking at the pictures on the items.  This was fine, until I needed laundry deteregent and all the pictures looked the same.  There are two types of detergents.  I needed the detergent that will work for a front load washing machine.  I knew this word was drum.  So, I proceeded to find an employee that could assist me.  I went up with a bottle of laundry detergent and said drum.  He just stared.  I pointed to my clothes, said wash, drum.  This was unsuccessful.  After the second attempt and a clerk who spoke broken english, we got it straightened out.  Good thing, because I was going to buy the wrong detergent.
     Third, the music of choice is all american.  Which is quite funny, becuase there is not any american food.  It is all Korean.  The only had kind of spaghetti sauce, which kind of scared me.  Also, they do not have bread.  Instead, you need to go the bakery.  Which is amazing.  They have fresh loaves and is similar to panera, except they don't have a big menu.  Also, the items are also printed in English, making it quite easy to purchase. 
     I also found a great italian restaurante right around the block from me.  It is contemperary and a little pricey, but worth it.  I got a pizza and coke for $15.00.  Best of all, the menu is in English.  I think that I better start learning Korean.  It will make things a lot easier.

**Note: It is very hard to carry groceries home, when you do not have a car!!