One of my favorite things to watch when I’m scrolling on TikTok is how people in other countries live. Seeing locals and expats walk around their towns is so fascinating! I love noticing the differences in how life is set up, especially things like streets, transportation, and stores.
So when the head teacher asked if I wanted to go shopping, of course I said yes! Seeing these things in real life instead of through someone else’s experience online is like a dream come true!
We got in the car–most of which here are manual–to head to the local mall. We walked in, and at first it looked very “American.” Or at least what the few malls that are left in the U.S. look like. There were boutique storefronts, cell phone kiosks, and a food court with McDonalds. As we approached El Rey, our intended destination, the cultural differences became clearer. The aisles were tall and packed full of colorful goods! There were six aisles of candy in packages and bins! At the back, walls of shoes and clothes were pushed so closely together we had to walk sideways to squeeze through them.
My TikTok feed came to life in front of my eyes. I love shopping in Costa Rica!
