Comments on: 4 years as an expatriate http://blog.generationjava.com/roller/bayard/entry/4_years_as_an_expatriate Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:32:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.1 By: Eric Biesterfeld http://blog.generationjava.com/roller/bayard/entry/4_years_as_an_expatriate#comment-133 Eric Biesterfeld Mon, 24 Jan 2005 15:59:43 +0000 http://blog.generationjava.com/roller/bayard/entry/4_years_as_an_expatriate#comment-133 As a native, I can explain a few of these things. :) "[American chocolate is] grainy and a mockery of the truth." Tis true, sadly. It's a culture that looks to get a "fix" of chocolate rather than an indulgent experience. Fortunately, for passable chocolate there is Godiva in most major malls. (At least, there is in my neck of the woods.) "I really miss is a toaster that's large enough to fit real-sized bread, if I had it, which I don't." That's what the toaster oven is for, as well as a breadmaker. For bread afficionados, they'd be worth it at ten times the cost. "on the biggest meal day of the year they serve up a parody of a good honest roast." It's traditional food, not our best food. :) The traditional way people make turkey in America is flat out poor, I'll agree. However, part of the charm of thanksgiving is that it's mostly simple food. It also tells you about the culture of America. It's all about the quantity! It's about having leftovers for a week! I can't help ya on the cookies, though. Is there another cooking besides chocolate chip? As a native, I can explain a few of these things. :)
“[American chocolate is] grainy and a mockery of the truth.”

Tis true, sadly. It’s a culture that looks to get a “fix” of chocolate rather than an indulgent experience. Fortunately, for passable chocolate there is Godiva in most major malls. (At least, there is in my neck of the woods.)

“I really miss is a toaster that’s large enough to fit real-sized bread, if I had it, which I don’t.”

That’s what the toaster oven is for, as well as a breadmaker. For bread afficionados, they’d be worth it at ten times the cost.

“on the biggest meal day of the year they serve up a parody of a good honest roast.”

It’s traditional food, not our best food. :) The traditional way people make turkey in America is flat out poor, I’ll agree. However, part of the charm of thanksgiving is that it’s mostly simple food.

It also tells you about the culture of America. It’s all about the quantity! It’s about having leftovers for a week!

I can’t help ya on the cookies, though. Is there another cooking besides chocolate chip?

]]> By: Yannick Menager http://blog.generationjava.com/roller/bayard/entry/4_years_as_an_expatriate#comment-132 Yannick Menager Tue, 18 Jan 2005 08:49:53 +0000 http://blog.generationjava.com/roller/bayard/entry/4_years_as_an_expatriate#comment-132 <sarcasm>I'm sure you must also miss the 'great weather', the wonderful 2 hours of gloom that is considered day during winter, the oh so cheap housing prices, oh well... the cheap prices for everything actually, oh and the transportation services that are ssssooooooo cheap and soooo efficient, the health system that is a jewel of the world, and the education system that is so wonderful</sarcasm> He he... Well, to be honest, if you came back to UK you would be shocked... I know because i was away too from UK for several years, and when i came back I was quite astonished.... The country is just falling apart in regard to infrastructure... transports prices keep getting higher ( highest of the world ), and quality has gone down to levels hard to believe... The London tube is chaos... every day there are major delays on lots of lines, lines that are not working at all, just the other month there was 2 tube derailment (!!!)... and the list goes on.. On the plus side, IT and Java is doing quite well, reason why i'm still here LOL I’m sure you must also miss the ‘great weather’, the wonderful 2 hours of gloom that is considered day during winter, the oh so cheap housing prices, oh well… the cheap prices for everything actually, oh and the transportation services that are ssssooooooo cheap and soooo efficient, the health system that is a jewel of the world, and the education system that is so wonderful

He he… Well, to be honest, if you came back to UK you would be shocked… I know because i was away too from UK for several years, and when i came back I was quite astonished…. The country is just falling apart in regard to infrastructure… transports prices keep getting higher ( highest of the world ), and quality has gone down to levels hard to believe… The London tube is chaos… every day there are major delays on lots of lines, lines that are not working at all, just the other month there was 2 tube derailment (!!!)… and the list goes on..

On the plus side, IT and Java is doing quite well, reason why i’m still here LOL

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