Care Packages

My infatuation with food continues. Or should I say, Little One’s ability to keep Mom as hungry as a teenage boy continues.

Today we received a most welcome surprise, a care package! Since we’ve been here, we’ve received a few – three from people flying here and one sent especially to alleviate my first-trimester eating woes. I have to say, there is just nothing like receiving a box full goodies that are unattainable here.

I’m still working on the Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Cheerios, and Mt. Dew from earlier shipments. And the newest care package contains such prized possessions as cheesecake mix with a GRAHAM CRACKER crust, gravy packets, and more Cheerios. (I’m now in a Cheerios-induced paradise, since this latest box reduces my need to ration dramatically. I think I will go have a bowl now.)

It made me think about what other American expats have mentioned really missing – food wise, especially. Some of my favorites, including where the expat expat-ed to: maple syrup – Germany; peanut butter – Moldova; cheese – China; blueberries – China; breakfast cereal – Taiwan and Holland, chocolate cake – Holland; chocolate chip cookies – Holland; minced garlic-in-a-jar - Holland; Jack Daniels – Holland.

And then I began thinking, what are those things we miss from the places we’ve been? From his childhood in Taiwan, Dan misses the Chinese noodles, mangoes, and the general ability to get authentic Chinese food. He missed Magnum ice creams bars after his trips to Hong Kong and his summer in Europe. From my summers in Taiwan and Moldova, I miss the abundance of fruit. We miss Andy’s pizza, goat cheese, and cheese cake bars from Moldova. And if we leave Holland, we'll miss the cheese, stroopwafels, and chocolate.

So, I guess there is a lesson here – enjoy what you have when you have it. And when you don’t have it, import!