Could you live without...
By angela_allen
@angela_allen (406)
United States
March 4, 2009 8:17pm CST
Some of life's luxuries like:
Air conditioning, heat, a car, a microwave, a dishwasher, a clothes dryer, a closet, your own yard?
Eating foods such as:
Pork products, cereal, peanut butter, cheddar cheese, dill pickles, butterfingers, pies, real pizza with pork toppings, real mexican food, real italian food, real Oreoes?
Missing out on activities like:
Going to a public pool, attending county fairs, wearing a tank top, back yard BBQ's, going to Wal-Mart, watching American TV, being with your family?
I say all this because these are the things that I gave up almost three years ago when I uprooted my life to Egypt to be with my husband. I don't expect all of you to get this post, those of you living in the USA I think will understand the most. For those of you who don't, replace the things I have given up with things you would hate to lose by living in another country and I am sure you will understand.
FYI some of these things are available in Egypt...I saw dill pickles in the supermarket for $10 a jar, and on a Egyptian salary to me this product is unavailable. Others are truly unavailable, like bacon.
*Since living here for the past three years I have acquired some of the things I initially gave up: A car, AC, Microwave, and a Dryer. So I am happy about those.
My time here in Egypt is quickly drawing to a close, I should be permanently back in the USA in May (yes!!!!!!!!!). I was trying to think of a similar list of things I will miss in Egypt, and well there isn't one. I could live without all the things I thought of, no questions asked. What this says to me is that your country is your home and it will always be a part of you, living somewhere else will not change that for most people.
So what about you guys, could you easily give up all the things I said? What would you hate to give up?
2 people like this
3 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
5 Mar 09
Well I don't live in Egypt but the USA and half the things you mentioned I don't have either..no AC, no car, no microwave (well actually do have one as it was given to me as a present but never used), no dishwasher, nor clothes dryer, no yard as I live in an apartment. I don't eat pork, or commercial cereals, no peanut butter (not with all the recent peanut recalls)...don't go to a public pool or attend country fairs (live in a city environment)...there's no Walmart near me, hardly watch TV as I'm always working..LOL...Oh can add another thing not on your list. I don't have cable anymore (not for almost three years)---when my mother passed away on August 27, 2006, cable was the first to go to cut down expenses since I'm on SSI benefits. There's perhaps only one thing I would hate to give up..my computer!....I waited four years to get my own and only got one about two years ago
@angela_allen (406)
• United States
5 Mar 09
A computer with an internet connection is a must for me too. Luckily I never had to give that up since I brought a laptop with me. I thought some things on my list might sound silly to some that already manage without them. I guess they are all things I was raised on and have never had to live without, which made it quite a culture shock when I first arrived here.
@CRSunrise (2981)
• United States
5 Mar 09
I could probably live withou A/C, and a dishwasher, but I wouldn't want to. I could not live without the other things though. I'm so use to these items. They make life a whole lot easier.
As far as the rest, I don't know. I'd have to think about it some.
