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I love living in Germany. I really, really do. But I've lived in the U.S my entire life and there are things I miss.
What really made me miss home today was having to take baby Wright to the pediatrician. I definitely miss the choice of health care providers. The language barrier is a bit worrisome to me as well in the event anything drastic were to happen. It's just a matter of being afraid of the unknown I 'spose.
I miss Target. A lot.
I miss Chipotle and all its deliciousness.
Whole Foods. There are bio markets here, but I've heard conflicting stories from people. I've heard that organic is not certified here like it is U.S.D.A certified organic in the States. From what people have told me, when buying bio (organic) in Germany sometimes you're just paying a premium price for basically the same thing. There are so many different definitions of organic, natural, all natural, etc. So I miss just knowing that the food I'm buying is truely organic and that the animals are treated humanely. I could look into further though.
I miss having double sinks in my bathroom.
I miss having a walk-in closet. The majority of houses in Germany don't come with closets. You have to buy your own wardrobe.
I miss having a garage.
I miss not having to plug my vacuum or steam mop or kitchenaid into a transformer to make it work.
I miss shopping on Sunday. Everything is closed on Sunday and I have to cram most errands into Saturday. I'd prefer to split it between two days.
I miss using a debit card everywhere. I'd say most places here take cash only or at least strongly prefer cash.
I miss being able to communicate freely. I still feel slightly insecure and modest when out in public. It's much harder to ask simple questions. I need to learn German.
I MISS MEXICAN FOOD!!!
I really really really really really really really really really really miss having a garbage disposal.
I miss pay at the pump gas stations.
I miss drive-thru Starbucks.
I miss Nordstroms.
I miss Craigslist so much.
I miss chinese food delivery.
I miss Pandora. Can't listen here in Germany....phooey.
I'm sure I'm missing a few. Though I miss soo many things, not having all of that in my life for over a year is something I've gotten used to. I don't dwell on the things I miss. I focus on my new life and have learned to adapt. It has definitely made me think different about immigrants and foreign people in general. lucky for me the people here are incredibly wonderful!
xoxo
B
This post totally made me :( WOW--we really do take lots of things for granted here in the U.S. I think your comment about focusing on your new life and the positive is a great message.
ReplyDeleteI'm also living in Germany (Duisburg). We have a long list of things we miss!
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that doctors here are more likely to use a natural/nutritional approach than drugs. But I really miss American drug stores. (I KNOW what I want, and I don't want to have to ask an apotheke for it!) All of our friends stock up on "Icy Hot" when they come to see my boyfriend.
I miss the variety of restaurants (especially since we're from NY). We do have good Chinese food here, but I haven't seen an Indian restaurant. And all the "Gasthaus" restaurants have pretty much the same menu.
I can find almost any recipe online for any food/restaurant I like. But SOMETIMES I can't find some ingredients.
Certain liquors are rare or unavailable. It took us forever to find Frangelica, and we still can't find Chambord. I'm rationing my "Nuts and Berries martinis".
Not only is Pandora not available, neither is Hulu.com. Also, all the major networks in the U.S. have webpages were you can watch an episode you missed. But you can't access them from Germany.
English books are available, but not always what you want and when you want it.
I'm allergic to most pork. (that's treated as a disability here. Seriously.) I can eat some cured meats, but can't find the ones I want. I can't even bring them over because you can get serious fines for bringing meat into the country. I'd just about kill for a sugar-cured, salt-cured or Country Ham from Kentucky or Virginia.
Cheddar cheese, when you can find it, is "Irischer's Chedder". You MIGHT be able to find "sharp" (herzhaft), but it's hard (KerryGold makes one). In the U.S., you can get all kinds of European Cheddars as well as a LARGE variety of American ones: Sharp, Extra Sharp, Mild, Colby, Longhorn, Wisconsin, Long Island, Smoked, etc. I miss that!
@Denise...you have good Chinese food near you??? I have several amazing Indian restaurants near me! And Thai. LOL. Both of which I love. Definitely miss Mexican food, but thankfully I can make decent mexican dishes :)
ReplyDeleteI miss pandora so much! And it sucks royally to not be able to watch hulu or things online. I wanted to listen to the audio of Mel Gibson going off but it wouldn't let me listen in Germany. Lame.
Do you have a blog or site?
Wow...this is really something to read. I couldn't agree with you more. I've now been in Germany for 8 months and miss my home in San Diego very much...you just feel like you're missing out on your life with your family and friends, and all of the intricacies and familiar aspects of the environment in which you were, for so many years, absolutely immersed in suddenly seem so unbelievably distant. Life proceeds as it always has, but a very small piece of you is absent, left behind in the previous chapters of life, and that void slowly becomes more recognizable, day by day...
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