I am standing in front of the Tesco Metro and I have to admit, I am a little bit nervous. But sooner or later I will have to buy some food. I am thinking to myself, ‘It cannot be that different from our German supermarkets’. I was so wrong.
I gather all my courage, enter the Tesco and nearly bump into two security guards. They are eyeing me critically, probably considering if I was a potential shoplifter. I notice the CCTV camera zooming in and it makes me feel as if I was entering a high security area rather than a bog-standard supermarket. Nevertheless, I go on, looking for bread. And don’t get me wrong, when I am talking of bread I mean “real” dark rye bread, and not the sponges they are selling as bread here. When I ask the shop assistant where I could find such bread, he just stares at me in disbelief and I decide to keep searching on my own. Instead of bread I put potato scones in my basket and head for the checkout. While waiting in the queue I hear the two people next to me talking about the weather: ‘Nice weather isn’t it?’, ‘Oh yes. Not too cold but not too warm either.’ While listening to them exchanging stereotypical trivia, I do not even notice that I am next in line. I hand my potato scones over to the portly, middle-aged cashier. After assuring him that I do not own a Tesco club card and that I am not interested in getting one, he smiles at me saying, ‘That would be 130 pence, my angel’. At first I am startled but then I assume this must be the British politeness everyone keeps talking about. I attempt a warm smile while paying. I am just getting off my huge backpack from my shoulders, ready to pack in my item. But before I can react I am handed over a plastic bag. As is right and proper for a German girl who cares about the environment, I explain to the cashier that I do not need a plastic bag and I am pointing at my big orange backpack. Again, I get stared at in disbelief. I pack in my scones and leave as fast as I can.
Tomorrow, I am definitely going to go to Lidl.