Emergency Shopping Situation

by Pamela Birchard

When I arrived in Florence, my luggage did not until three days later. You never know when you might need essential items in a foreign country, where you don't understand the labels or know the place to buy them. Take a toothbrush for instance. It cost me 3 euros. And deodorant, which is hard to come by, cost 5 euros. Wearing the same clothes for three days is no fun, so even finding a place that sells undergarments at a decent price is also tricky, costing me 11 euros for three pairs. It frustrates me because I know I have these things in my suitcase and it is missing somewhere in the airline's monitoring system. Not only do you need to prepare for dire situations like that, but think of all the additional necessities, especially when the trip lasts for a month and you'll be staying in a vacant apartment.

Of all the things I knew I needed to get, toilet paper, laundry detergent, dish soap, trash bags, and food of course, some items made the shopping list I would never expect.



Our apartment windows are open and bare, no screens included. This is an easy target for bugs, and on the first, hot and humid night, mosquitoes had a feast on my skin. We thought "OFF!" candles would do the trick. No such luck. But if "Vape Zanzare" didn't signify the product, the image of a fly did. They looked like spiral incense, smelled like a campfire, and didn't solve the problem sufficiently. The next time, we found plug ins, and since then, the bites have been few and far between.

Luckily, supermarkets and pharmacies are all around the center of the city. Just look for "Despar" or "Supermercati II Centro." A pharmacy is always noticeable by the lit-up green cross but are closed on Sunday. The supermarkets are open until around 7 or 8 p.m. If you come prepared, you may only need to visit each place one time.

TIPS:
Bring your toothbrush and any other immediate toiletries in your carry-on. They must meet airport regulations for liquids but it's worth feeling clean after a long flight.

Make sure your apartment or hostel is equipped, otherwise you might find yourself drying off with a pillowcase or tossing and turning on a bare mattress.

When purchasing an European adapter at your local electronic store, read the label since a typical adapter is different from an Italian one, which usually has smaller prongs.