This isn’t really about shopping. It’s about connection. When you realize a store from Arkansas can exist in the middle of Swaziland (now Eswatini) or Puerto Rico, you start seeing the world as a tiny, interconnected web. We all need toilet paper and cheap socks.
It reminds us that despite our different languages and cuisines, we share a lot of boring stuff. And that boring stuff is actually pretty fun to notice. It makes the globe feel a little less scary and a little more like a big, messy, shared living room.
So, What’s Next?
I dare you. Before your next international trip, check the list. See if your destination makes the cut. Then, go in with no expectations. Take a photo of something weird—like a frozen pizza in Japan shaped like an anime character.
The world is full of surprises, and sometimes the most surprising one is the same thing you see at home. It’s a glorious, ridiculous reminder that we’re all in this together. Now go forth, explore, and maybe buy a $5 pair of flip-flops in a foreign country. You’ll never see the world the same way again. And honestly, that’s a beautiful thing.
