At the ethnic grocery store
There is at least one ethnic grocery stores in every town here in Norway. They are often located off the main shopping streets, where location is more affordable I guess. Their popularity is growing as they offer imported food and spices from just about anywhere in the world and the quality of their fresh products is often better than what you get from major grocery brands. These ethnic stores are in most cases so small and packed with products that you’ve got to keep your breath and make yourself flat to get your way through the shelves.
The people behind (actually inside) these grocery stores appear to me like honest hard workers who left their countries to find job and better fortune far away. Some may be refugees, others may have their families back in their countries and work hard here to get some money to send them. Needless to say, many other immigrants use these stores pretty often, finding here those flavours that make them feel a bit like home.
There is one such grocery store here in Trondheim, which I found interesting. I was there a few times to buy Italian stuff but promised myself I’d go back and try to take some photos in there. And so I did. I didn’t want to sneak-photograph those people. That store is all in all their thing and their life. So I asked. Some communication challenges with two employees, which only amplified their shyness, but their boss in the end gave me permission, actually without special excitement and apparently only for a few shots. Well, here they are, my little tribute to those hard workers. I made also a few prints, which I just gave to them as my thanks for letting me photograph.
