Confessions of a shopaholic...

Anyone who did not see this blog coming obviously does not know me very well. For those of you who don't know me that well, while some may say I have an addiction to shopping, I call it just another aspect of Spanish culture I must thoroughly explore!

In coming to Spain, and specifically to Jerez, I knew a few things already about the culture. The flamenco, sherry, and horses, just to name a few cultural items, and of course I cannot neglect Zara, the icon of Spanish culture to the world.

I naturally had had a taste of Zara while "familiarizing myself with the London culture" and since coming to Spain, and well in truth, the entire month preceding my entry to Spain, I have been impatiently awaiting my full immersion into this aspect of Spanish culture and life.

It completely and utterly did not disappoint!

As I stepped through the doors and began simply to browse and collect prospects for future purchases, I groaned when my eyes fell upon a pair of knee high dark tan leather boots in the traditional style of Jerez that all the fashionable young women of Jerez wear. They were a mere 95 Euros! Hence the groan from someone like me who makes just 65 Euros a week as an au pair.

As I said, I was only in Zara to get the lay of the land. I promised myself to not spend anything this week and save my money for a much anticipated trip to Sevilla this weekend, but after one round through the women's department alone I was back in the swing of easy shopping I perfected through a summer of living at home in Southern California.

So I decided I would try on a few basic items moderately priced, which are really essentials for this new colder fall weather in Jerez. Having already made my mental notes on four such items, and having successfully found the dressing room hidden in a corner of older woman's clothes, I "quickly" grabbed an aqua sweater priced at 12.95 Euros, a black long sleeve knee length jersey dress for 16.95 and riding style skinny pants, 29.95.

The real prize was a man's style blazer with the wool ovals on the elbows like English gentlemen wear in a tan to compliment my hair color and a single button to flatter my curves. It was the perfect length!

To bring all this back to reality and to end my little shopping confession, after witnessing the culmination of Spanish culture and influence in one clothing store, I found, through the justification that I needed another jacket, I must have the blazer and I purchased it for 40 Euros.

I walked out of Zara feeling a rush of cultural immersion and just a little bit more Spanish myself!