What Does An Expat Miss About Home?

[qwertz]

As an English expat in provincial Germany I miss fish and chips, takeaways, pies, good Cheshire cheese and a decent pot of tea. Or maybe you're all made up out there in paradise? If so, close the thread.

[Lite Beer]

Cold, Ice, fog, rain, grey skies , high prices, high taxes,crap food, miserable women. Yes I really miss England.

[solent01]

Agree with you about the Tea, I get my "PG Tips sent out to me", the Take aways I'm not too fussed about as we now have "Fish and Chips & a Curry House" in Chiangmai, that are aimed at us farang, and tastes just like home, but I love Thai food, so not a problem. Good cheese is a little hard to find some times (I always seem to go shopping after the rest of the expats, as the cheese section is always some what bare), the one thing that I really miss is good High speed internet, and if I was to be honest, not being able to jump in an aircraft (my own) and fly myself off some where for the weekend (its possible here but is heavy with paperwork and red tape).

[jasreeve17]

Spacial awareness.

I miss people with spacial awareness.

[undercover]

Twiglets and after 8 mints.

[qwertz]

Cold, Ice, fog, rain, grey skies , high prices, high taxes,crap food, miserable women. Yes I really miss England.

At least you can get good Thai food, I can't. Could in England though and before you think it, I can't go back, got to live with my choice.

Edited March 4, 2007 by qwertz

[Austhaied]

Spacial awareness.

I miss people with spacial awareness.

Me too. You've hit the nail right on the head... For a Buddhist country that has "The Dhamma" which teaches (or is meant to) FULL awareness of EVERYTHING.. I have yet to see this put to practice here..Oh, and i miss Aussie Rules Football..Even though i get it on cable here..

[Florin]

Nice pubs and nice people in said pubs...I love that scene in Bucharest, here it takes ages thru traffic to get to any of the few decent ones. Also, art-house theaters instead of the ###### multiplexes.

[kyb789]

Honesty. Plain and simple. I don't need to count my change. I don't worry about double pricing back home, and if I'm in trouble, I know the police will be fair...if they decide to show up.

[solent01]

Honesty. Plain and simple. I don't need to count my change. I don't worry about double pricing back home, and if I'm in trouble, I know the police will be fair...if they decide to show up.

Good point

[jasreeve17]

Honesty. Plain and simple. I don't need to count my change. I don't worry about double pricing back home, and if I'm in trouble, I know the police will be fair...if they decide to show up.

Don't count your change... where are you from?

[jasreeve17]

Nice pubs and nice people in said pubs...I love that scene in Bucharest, here it takes ages thru traffic to get to any of the few decent ones. Also, art-house theaters instead of the ###### multiplexes.

The Bucharest scene??? It must have changed a lot in the last five years. It was probably the worst city that I've been to. - Nice country, nice people, great women, though.

[brianw]

In the UK Pubs Beer and Horse racing

[Jingthing]

I miss (from the US):

Mexican food

live English language theater

Chinese food -- certain types I can't get here

legal sex toys (don't ask, oh, I guess you did)

reasonably priced good wine

Overall, not too much. I can amuse myself with other foods, and movies will have to do as a replacement for live theater.

Edited March 4, 2007 by Jingthing

[jamman]

Spacial awareness.

I miss people with spacial awareness.

Concise. I often notice the same. Have to walk right up to the internet operators here and wave my hand around for a while in order for them to activate my computer. They ought to notice me come in the door and sit down. Their eyes are open, but not registering movement.

Just today I was wondering about that - about our input channels. Some people can't hear you if they are otherwise engaged, and others have their input channels permanently in the on position - they always wait for something new.

I am bothered to have to repeat myself. "What did you say?" Even in the midst of a conversation. People require priming. I always have to explain that I'm about to say something, and then, if what I say is unexpected, it often must be reapeated many times in order to register.

There are of course westerners like this. Cultural differences are about the percentages.

Edited March 4, 2007 by jamman

[turnpike]

i don't miss much except for a really good steak.

[chiang mai]

I miss a sense of history and tradition, old architecture, a fair police force, knowing that if I had an accident people around me would know what to do and that an ambulance would be called, driving in predictable conditions, being able to read a current newspaper and read something informative and intellectually stimulating, good bread, real cheese, cleaner air, not sweating so much, England's green countryside and probably more.

[Florin]

Nice pubs and nice people in said pubs...I love that scene in Bucharest, here it takes ages thru traffic to get to any of the few decent ones. Also, art-house theaters instead of the ###### multiplexes.

The Bucharest scene??? It must have changed a lot in the last five years. It was probably the worst city that I've been to. - Nice country, nice people, great women, though.

Well, I was a local...you just need to know where to go The best pubs are unadvertised, down tiny sidestreets...nice booze, conversation & decor, especially the basement ones...Speaking of which, this is certainly one thing I miss in BKK: basements!! They create such a nice atmosphere for pubs or restaurants as opposed to the "museum display" feeling you get when in a bar here.

[sceadugenga]

Basically not being able to go and see my extremely elderly parents when ever I want. The old man knows his way around a computer so we speak every day but it's not the same.

Dunno about the rest, I chose to live in the sticks so it's no good whinging about not being able to walk down the corner for the paper or some fish and chips.

[Tony Clifton]

Family, some old friends, all of my fishing buddies.

The rest doesn't really matter.

[OlRedEyes]

Space. Space to breathe. Space for peace and quiet. Space to think.

And really horny women....

[bingobongo]

as an expat i miss:

political stability

cooler weather

good movies

stimulating conversation

descent functioning airport

no bombings

no police state

less congested roads

less pollution

not being viewed as ATM

i'll add more later......

[OlRedEyes]

[Bananaman]

I miss good customer service. In Thailand "the customer is always wrong"

[taxexile]

rowntrees fruit pastilles and late night daylight during the summer.

[cdnvic]

Tim Horton's, truly fast reliable cheap internet, safe drivers, the ocean/mountains, police who are honest/polite, and decent TV.

[baabaabobo]

The seasons (especially Spring) and freedom of speech.

[Ulysses G.]

Tower records

Mission street super-buritos

Good Chinese food

Clothes that fit fat people

That is about it.

[November Rain]

Not much actually - reasonably priced English language books & magazines & shoe shops full of shoes that will fit me, rather than the biggest size being just one size too small!

[cdnvic]

Tower records

RIP

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15251144/