First of all, when you queue up with the locals and shop where they shop, you get to see how they go about their daily lives. Do they shop with wicker baskets? Are dogs allowed in the stores? How is their store different from the one where you normally shop? Check out the stores in Germany, for example, and you'll see that they are very environmentally conscious.
Shopping at a local store also gives you a chance to interact with store personnel and improve your language skills (although many people in other countries speak English very well), as well as your money-changing skills. This in interesting for adults-and an excellent opportunity to help children get a new perspective on the area.
Just ask any American military who has shopped "on the economy" while stationed in a foreign country, and they will tell you that it really helps you get to know the country so much more than just staying on the base.
I especially like to shop at local grocery stores because it's here that you can discover regional specialties that you may not find anywhere else. In Switzerland, it might be real Swiss cheese, right from the farmer who produced it. In Portugal, it could be their famous slightly effervescent Vino Verde wine. And it's a perfect place to pick up food for a picnic that centers around local ingredients. In some cases, you might even save some money-if you don't get carried away and buy too much. In Switzerland, we also enjoyed eating a meal right in one of the many Migros Grocery stores. Talk about a bargain-and we didn't feel like tourists, but local residents.
You can definitely save money by purchasing your souvenirs at the local grocers. Whether it is for you or for your colleagues back at this office, you'll find treats at the local store cost a lot less than at tourist shops and the airport. (Remember, there are customs restrictions on some things, like fresh foods and vegetables.) So, go ahead and treat yourself-and your buddies-- to the creamy elegance of real Swiss chocolate. The Swiss consume about 23 pounds of chocolate per person a year, so don't deny yourself.
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