It’s Friday, and since people continue to ask, “Is there anything you miss about the U.S.?” this is a great time to answer that question.
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know there isn’t a lot I miss, but fresh off my trip to the U.S., I realized there are a few things.
Food
Incoming unpopular opinion: In general, I prefer American food.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Spanish food. Nothing beats a good paella by the sea. But finding some of my favorites has been difficult, and as someone living abroad, I find a taste of the familiar sometimes necessary. The short list goes like this:
Sausage gravy and biscuits. I’m a Kentuckian born and bred, lived most of my life in the Southern U.S., and this is a dish I’ll never tire of.
Tex-Mex restaurants. Based on my eating preferences at home and in U.S. restaurants, I’m pretty sure I might have been Mexican in another life. Seriously, I love this particular brand of food, and it’s hard to come by in Spain. Traditional Mexican food? Yes. Tex-Mex? No.
Coffee creamers. The Spanish tend to do milk and sugar rather than a flavored creamer, and since I don’t like black coffee or espresso, I need something to cut the bitterness. I prefer coffee creamers, and I missed them so much that I even learned to make my own. It’s not the same, but they work in a pinch.
Fast food. Our entire family is healthier since moving to Spain, and less fast food played no small part in that journey. But when I want Zaxby’s or Wendy’s, I want it, and there’s simply no replacing those flavors.
Hot spices and sauces. Spanish people don’t do a lot of spicy dishes, and finding something like Cajun seasoning for your pantry can be a challenge. My son loves anything spicy, from Buffalo sauce to cayenne pepper, and I often end up paying far more than I should to keep those flavors in our house.
Shopping
Big-box retail stores. Spain has these (Carrefour, anyone?), but it’s a little bit different than your typical Walmart or Target. And to be clear, I don’t miss these stores often, but sometimes, I do miss the convenience of popping in, getting everything in one big shopping trip, and then heading back home to do whatever else I had on my agenda that day.
Varied clothing sizes. I’ve never been a super petite woman. But because I’m not a typical Spanish woman’s size, I’ve had some difficulty finding clothing that fits and makes me feel good about it. I do miss shopping at stores like Old Navy, where I can try on a couple of sizes and know that one of them will fit. (If you have tips on Spanish stores, feel free to drop them in the comments.)
Road Trips
When we flew back to the U.S. our route was Madrid to Chicago. From Chicago, we rented a minivan and drove south toward our destination in Tennessee. The trip took roughly eight hours, with some stops in between. Will and I really missed those road trips, where we spend hours talking, listening to music or audiobooks, and taking in some new scenery. In Tennessee, on weekends, we’d often round the kids up, hop in the car, and we’d take off in any direction for a couple of hours just to see what we saw. Without a car here in Spain, our exploration is limited to where the bus or train can take us.
Language
I’ve been working hard to learn Spanish, and I’ve come a long way. But it will never be my native language, and I may never be fluent. It was, admittedly, a relief to speak English everywhere. I didn’t have to question what anyone was saying to me or translate anything in my head. It was just … easy. I hope to reach a point of ease with Spanish, but I think I’m still a long way from getting there.
The list of things I didn't miss is longer—and honestly more interesting. Coming soon.
Have a great weekend!
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More from poco a poco:
I think lack of food variety is a common one for foreigners in Spain! The fresh ingredients are second to none, but we want Pho as well as gazpacho! But I think it's changing - just in the past 3 years there's been a new crop of Asian restaurants in San Sebastian
Ugh...road trips! Yes. I LOVE road trips. In 8 hours I could drive from the southern tip of this island to the northern end of Scotland LOL. My Texan husband misses Tex-Mex terribly - he would agree with you on that. He would also agree with you on the creamer - I'm a tea girl, so I'm happy with my milk/sugar.