Variety

The spice of the American daily life is the ability to have anything we want when we want it. The plethora of 24-hour stores, the vast amount of competition, and the low prices create consumer demand as well, as create the fulfillment of needs we prescribe ourselves.

This creates an issue when one decides to move to another country. You do not have the items you accustom yourself, the variety wanes - the prices are exorbitant.

Below are some of the differences that I have had to accept.

1) Eggs - the breakfast food for a world - in the U.S. you find your eggs in the dairy section under refrigeration, and they are (almost always) white in colour. Not here, they are brown and cost three to four dollars a dozen. You will find them on the grocery aisle; usually near the cereals.
2) Ketchup, catsup, tomato sauce are totally different. You can find Ketchup here, but it tastes a bit sweet. Tomato sauce is a condiment. It is definitely not used in the making of your spaghetti, or lasagna, sauces.
3) BBQ sauce - there is no comparison to the multitude of flavours we have in the states. I am used to the range of spicy to the mild smoky tastes. In Australia the sauce is used in place of ketchup, and mustard, and is very sweet.
4) You will not find pickles on your hamburgers. Instead, you have to make sure that the person taking your order removes the beetroot.
5) Mustard is not found in abundance, and if you are lucky enough to score some, it will be of the spicy English variety (talk about burning the nose hairs).
6) Grocery stores inside of shopping malls.
7) TV shows that start at 7 minutes after the hour, and at a different time each day.
8) Commercials where a North American brown bear is speaking in an Australian accent (I find this a personal sacrilege! This is like having a ‘roo with an American accent.)
9) News stories where there is actually something positive in nature - and not the normal doom and gloom.
10) Restaurants closing shop from the hours of 2-5pm.
11) Cigarette packages now show mouth disease, lung cancer, arterial blockage, and many nasty things. That’s right; there are pictures of these events on the actual cigarette packages!
12) Most houses do not have air conditioning, or central heating.
13) How is it that the sun can be so different here? As an example, I thought I would lie out and try to reduce some of the brilliant white skin that exists on 80% of my body. After 30 minutes, I went inside sun burnt, and with purple nipples too boot! Have you ever had a burnt titty? It bloody hurts.
14) Parrots that fly about and caw a horrid sound that makes you jump out of your skin.

This ends my thoughts for today, may you realise what you have while you have it.