My heart belongs to 7-Eleven

The streets of Thailand are flooded with open-air markets, roadside food vendors, motorbike repair shops…and 7-Elevens. Yes, 7-Eleven, the convenience store. Known affectionately as just “7” in Thailand, this modern-day mecca of all-things convenient is the staple of every large town and city. It’s as prevalent in Bangkok and other urban hubs as Starbucks is in downtown Chicago. And believe it or not, Khaowong – tiny little Khaowong – is also home to a 7. It came to town just 3 months before I arrived. Needless to say, the novelty of the 7 has yet to wear off amongst Khaowongers. That’s not to say everyone in town likes it. I sense a love/hate relationship between 7 and the community. Typically students and the metropolitan hipsters of Khaowong hit up 7 every afternoon or evening while traditionalists avoid setting foot inside.

I steered clear of the 7 my first week in Khaowong. I didn’t want to be the stereotypical Westerner who patronizes the Western store. That phase quickly passed, however. For one, it’s the only place in town that sells my brand of phone cards for my cell phone. Second, it’s the only shop in town that is air-conditioned. I feel better about buying milk from a place whose air temperature is under 80 degrees F.

So, is the Thai 7 the same as the American 7? In most ways, no. Like the American 7, the Thai version sells snacks, drinks, toiletries, and a few other odds ‘n ends, but the selection is very different. For instance, there is an entire aisle dedicated to dried seaweed, squid and other oceany snack foods. Lay’s Potato Chips come in flavors like “chili paste” and “spicy squid.” The toiletry aisle is laden with bottles of skin-whitening lotions. (Unlike in the U.S. where girls go to ends-length to brown their skin, in Thailand lighter skin is considered more beautiful). Like the U.S., however, there is a slurpy machine and soda fountain next to a mile-high stack of Big Gulp cups.

I’ve grown quite fond of 7 throughout the last several weeks. It’s the closest thing to a grocery store within a wide-mile radius and it’s an opportunity to see my students outside of school (which can be good and bad). And, this past weekend I grew to love the 7 even more. I was visiting a small city south of Khaowong where I stopped in for a phone card and, to my utter surprise, found a small jar of SKIPPY EXTRA CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER! For readers who do not know, peanut butter is one of my all-time favorite foods. And Skippy is one of my two favorite brands. (If you’re wondering, JIF is the other). The jar was teensy weensy and overpriced, but I swiped it up before you can say yum. Too bad the Khaowong 7 doesn’t stock Skippy. Perhaps it’s for the best. I’d probably spend my entire paycheck on those little jars of goodness.