How do you make a midget, Mexican momma happier than a clam? Set her loose in a Costco in Japan. That's how! Shopping at Costco in Japan is an experience like no other. The store is crowded with people constantly bumping into one another with over-sized shopping carts filled to the rim with goodies. It's the only place where you can get 5 kilos of squid or 1 kilo of dry kelp or 5 liters of Shoju (Japanese grain alcohol). And if your heart desires, you can also get 2 pounds of corn chips, a few designer purses and bed linens for American sized beds.
It's one of the only places where I can go shopping and actually read the packages. Needless to say, I love it. I can spend hours there.
And today I did just that. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I bumped more carts than usual, giving a few people the stink eye. I apologized, but didn't really give a shit if I ran over a few toes or small children. You see, my Costco is crowded, and I mean crowded--like a sold out concert crowded. People stop and gawk at the strange American items they've never seen before, trying to decipher the English written on the packages. I get frustrated and start pushing my way through, demanding people move out of my way or be run over. This is one of the few places where I'm allowed to do this. People just assume I'm a rude foreigner, and I'm okay with it. Sometimes in Japan, you just have to be rude.
So, today I spent part of my day buying useless shit in bulk. It was awesome! I felt so American!
Thank you little baby Jesus for Costco in Japan!
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