Sunday, October 03, 2010

What we miss

Denise asked me, and she echoes a question I've heard in various ways since we moved to Turkey: "What do you miss? What can't you get? What do you crave?"

Because we live on Base, I think what we miss is considerably less than if we were just residents of Turkey and not associated with a "mini-America." I can get most everything I need on Base and am blessed by a mini version of America.

However, today, JB and I brainstormed the things we miss most being away from home:
  • Out-of-season fruit ... especially berries. Let's face it, if Turkey isn't growing it, we aren't eating it. That's hard to get used to. My boys used to eat blueberries and strawberries everyday. We miss them greatly.
  • Free water. I just can't get used to the idea that anytime I am off of Base, I have to pay for water. It just feels wrong. It has "made" me drink more coke because, if I am going to pay a buck for every water, I might as well get "something" for it. This attitude isn't necessarily good for me, but I just can't get this out of my thinking.
  • Choices. This goes both ways. It is nice in many regards to be limited in your options. You can't debate buying something because you may be able to find it cheaper at the store across town. Because, well, there really isn't a store across town. But, you are also, very limited in your options. If the BX or grocery store here doesn't have it, chances are you aren't going to get it easily. Hard to imagine living in a place like this before Internet. Everything is easier with the Internet since we can order whatever we need. But I miss my certain kind of Cinnamon Raisin Bread. We miss the kind of yogurt we liked. The kind of cereal that they don't carry here. That sort of thing. I wanted to get lollipops for the boys the other day. They had none. Not a single lollipop to be found. Seriously?
  • Home Depot. JB misses this. Not just Home Depot but the ability to easily go and get whatever it is you want. They have an Ace Hardware type of store here, but not a Home Depot type place. If he wants wood, he has to try to translate that desire to someone and then attempt to get directions to a place located on streets that aren't well-labeled. It can be frustrating not to be able to get what you want when you want it.

3 comments:

nicole said...

Here's a quick (unsolicited) silver lining about eating in-season fruit. It's actually much more environmentally friendly to do so. This way your food doesn't have to be shipped across hundreds (or thousands) of miles to get to you in December even though it really only grows locally in the heat of summer. We try to stick to in-season produce here as well. Just as a nod to the planet :-)

Wendi Kitsteiner said...

Nicole, I actually quite agree with you. Not only is it good for the planet but the local farmers as well.

The thing is, here, we believe that berries COULD be grown. But they just DON'T grow them right now. They seem a little "stuck" in a certain way and not too willing to stray from it.

Jenny said...

Wendi,

Of course I can relate to the lack of choices. When back in FL a few weeks ago I was quite overwhelmed in Target and Joann's after a year and a half away. It's weird how you get used to it, (lack of options) and then when you go to American grocery stores, stores, etc. they seem so massive. I have always heard it's harder to move back, but it was weird to experience it on a small scale. You will learn to love Amazon. I have also heard target ships to APO.