Memories of Switzerland (Shopping) /スイス生活の思い出（買い物編）

(English follows)

もう9月になって、今年の夏も終わりだなー。と切に感じる今日この頃。

夏の思い出ということで、今回はスイスにいた頃の昔話を少々。

私は２０１３年の夏から冬にかけて、当時勤めていた会社の海外研修で半年間スイスに住んでおりました。

その時始めてのヨーロッパ、もちろん初めてのスイスということで、新しい環境の中で過ごしたのですが、仕事の外でも色々と面白い経験をさせていただきました。

まずは買い物！

日本で夜中まで開いているスーパーやコンビニに慣れきっていた私は、自分がわざわざ時間を作って買い物に行くという概念をほぼ忘れかけていたのですが、スイスでは空港や駅構内の一部の店を覗き、スーパーはどこも１９時頃までには閉まってしまうのです。そして土曜日は時間短縮営業＆日曜は休業！

じゃぁいつ買い物に行ったらいいのよ！😥と最初は戸惑いましたが、現地の人は「毎週XX曜日は買いものの日！」と決めて、平日のその日はとっとと帰ってしまいます。食品の買い出しを理由に早く帰れるってなかなか羨ましい話ですが、そうでもしないと食糧難に陥ってしまうのだから仕方ありません。

それまで日本の２４時間営業のコンビニやスーパーってとっても便利✨と信じきってしまっていた私は、（社会人成り立てということもあり）体の動く限り仕事しようとがむしゃらになっていたのですが、買い物のために早く仕事を切り上げられれば、その日はアフターワークをしっかり楽しめて、これって結局は人間的らしい生活をするのに一役買っているんじゃないの？と思い始めるのでした。

ちなみに私がよく行っていた近所のスーパーでは、プラスチックの買い物袋は置いていませんでした。その代わり有料の紙バッグがあって、３０円くらいで購入できたと思います。

ただでさえ物価の高いスイスなので、買い物のたびにプラス３０円支払うのも嫌になり、自ずとエコバッグを持ち歩く癖ができました。これも結局は環境に優しい買い物ができるようになったということで、結果良かったんですよね♻️

ちなみに週末には各地でミニマーケットが開かれ、そこで新鮮な野菜や果物を買うことができます。

これといって買うものがなくても見ているだけで楽しいし、天気のいい日は本当に気持ち良かった！🌞

夏の時期ならではのスイスの空気を楽しんだものでした。

ではまたー。

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Is it September already!? I guess summer is officinally over now...😨

Speaking of memories of summer, I was in Switzerland and spent a half year there for work back in July to Dec 2013.

It was my first time in Europe and of course in Switzerland and I enjoyed my stay so much but at the same time, I did experience a lot of unique things there.

First of all, shopping! (I mean grocery shopping)

I was so used to going to convenience stores and super markets that are open 24/7 in Japan, and I had never been bothered by "making time" to go grocery shopping, because I could go literally ANYTIME I wanted. However in Switzerland, except a few kiosks and small shops at airports and big train stations, many supermarkets close by 7pm(ish) and they are closed on Sundays,

...So when am I supposed to go shopping?😥 was the first thought came up to my mind, but local colleagues were making their day(s) available to go grocery shopping after work. In those days, they would leave the office at 5pm sharp and go shopping and enjoy rest of the night. For a Japanese person like me, it was quite surprising that you get to leave work at 5pm sharp...and the reason being is to do grocery shopping...!? (as it is generally considered not great thing leaving right after working hour ends, especially if you are young and new at work.)

I used to worship in Japanese convenience stores and super markets that are open 24 hours. Also when I was new at work, I tried hard to work as much as I could even after working hours to get things done. But if you must leave the office because you need to do some grocery shopping, like I had to in Switzerland, it not only gave me extra time to enjoy the night after work but I could also live like a real human being. I started to think that this is much healthier for anybody, than staying at office until midnight everyday,,,like I used to.

I usually went to the same supermarket that was close enough to walk from my apartment, and another surprising thing I faced was that, they don't have any shopping plastic bags. (and the store was not like a natural or organic shop) Instead, you can purchase a paper bag which costs about 30cents. Things in Switzerland are already quite expensive and spending additional 30cents every single time sounded silly which naturally turned me into bringing a shopping bag whenever I visit.

During summer time, there was also a market every weekend where you could buy fresh fruits and vegetables.