Wal-Mart Makes Me Cry...

Beijing China is a lot different that your average Chinese city. It is very modern and very western. For instance within I can bike from my house to Wal-Mart, KFC, or McDonalds in 5 minutes! There are 7-11's all over the place, and I live in the college district which means there are a lot of poeple that can speak English. Conveniences like this have made my transition from America to China relatively easy. I have not had any catastrophically horrible experience. Ironically the closest I have been to having a meltdown occurred in Wal-Mart.

I had been in China for roughly 3 weeks when I decided that I would go and check out Wal-Mart. I walked into Wal-Mart simply for the experience. My first thought was, "Wow this seems small." I walked around and compared all of the minuscule differences to the Wal-Mart, I know and love. Finally, I decided I had had enough. I tried to walk out the door that I came in and a security guard stopped me and something in Chinese. Probably, "Young sir, this door has one purpose. It is an entrance. It is not exit.." I tried to explain to him that I did not know how to go out, in English of course. He laughed. I wondered in circles for about 15 minutes. I began to panic, I was hungry and sick of being in Wal- Mart. Finally, I came up with a plan. I put my cell phone to my ear, approached the one purpose door put my head down and walked out. I turned around and saw the security guard chuckling from door.

I would not be conquered by Wal-Mart. I returned and I discovered how huge Wal-Mart is! It is a 4 story building! I spent time mastering the escalator system and discovering the location of practical good. I compared prices, and I ventured into the food department and tried some new Asian delicacies. And then, I tried to exit. I spent at least 45 minutes trying to figure this out! I could not figure out how to get back to the street where my bike was parked. I walked in and out of many various exits. I wondered around the building. Finally I walked for 15 minutes from a strange exit to my bike.

I was miffed. I was frustrated. I couldn't understand how a store could be set up so illogically in so many different ways.

I returned a third time and at last conquered the Wal-Mart mystery. I wish I could describe to you some simple thing that I missed, but there is no simple catch. The place is huge and crazy.

Well, I am now a veteran Wal-Mart shopper. I can easily navigate the store. I no longer get overly flustered.

The last time I went to Wal-Mart. I was wondering near a group of Americans. This isn't all that uncommon in Beijing because there are a fair number of foreigners. We navigated the store together for about 15 minutes. I overheard them talking about the "ideal Wal-Mart experience" and critiquing the lay out of the store. Then I saw them venture into an employees only door. Finally, one of the men looked at me and said, "what are you doing here?" I told him that I taught oral English at a local middle school. We conversed for awhile and then he told me that he was one of the heads of Wal-Mart's international stores. His group had come to evaluate the Beijing Wal-Mart. They asked me how often I shopped at Wal-Mart and want my experiences had been like. I recounted for them an abbreviated version of what I just shared with you. I told them that it was really hard to find things because the store seemed very illogical to my mind. Then I said, "It doesn't make sense to me, but my brain works differently then a Chinese brain." They looked at me a little bewildered and said, "We are having the same experience that you had."