I recently had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Oviedo, Spain in July. Oviedo is located in the northern, mountainous region of Spain next to the Atlantic Ocean. I was thrilled to be able to go to the markets in Spain because markets are a wonderful way to learn about the culture, history and geography of the region that you are visiting.

I accompanied my host family to the supermarket a few times and buying fish and meat is quite different from the same process in the United States. My host family and I would eventually make our way to the counter where they grabbed a number from a dispenser and an employee would call their number and help them pick out portions of meat, fish and dairy.

I wasn’t shocked per se but fascinated that this counter had meat and fish that did not look like the meat and fish I typically see in grocery stores back home. Usually, American grocery stores have fish and meat already packaged and ready to be cooked, but that isn’t the case in Spain. A customer has the option to buy pre-packaged and ready-to-go food, however, they have other options, like a whole merluza fish that would need to be deboned and de-scaled before cooking. As a result of the fish and meat products needing more work before they were cooked, the food was more fresh compared to the already processed packaged food in the United States. Venturing into foreign grocery stores may seem like a small way to experience another culture, but it is powerful and can make a visitor gain a more in-depth knowledge of a new place and the people living there.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Spanish Language, Literature and Culture