The most common conversation starter when you meet someone...anyone, whether for business, or with friends is, "Do you miss your country (in my case US)?"
First of all, word of advice; unless you want to play 'psychologist' for the evening, please don't ever ask that question to anybody who moved within the past year to a foreign country....the answer is YES!
So, let's go to the second scenario.
You're talking to someone who has been around for at the very least a year. Unless they fled the country for a specific reason (and in that case you would probably know about it and thus would not have to ask the question in the first place), the answer is pretty simple - yes and no.
I never really answer the question completely because frankly I'm bored of being asked.
So, here's my real answer:
Yes, I miss certain aspects of life in the States and there are also things that I don't miss.
I miss bagels, going to the supermarket at midnight, not sounding strange (accent) when speaking...oh and I miss cream cheese.
I miss having my friends I grew up with around me, the spontaneity of Americans...
I don't miss - running shoes and kaki cargo pants representing a 'fashion staple for men', restaurant chains sprouting up every 100 feet, the AC blasting in every building, huge servings of food, having to drive everywhere (unless you live in a city of course). I don't miss the sameness of everything. I miss Bed Bath and Beyond (actually, no I don't), I miss 8$ manicures and walk-in nail appointments, I miss HUGE supermarkets, and motorcycles that drive within the lane and not between two. I miss stores being open on Sunday, making life easier for anybody who works. I don't miss bad food (except for Dunkin Donuts - yummy) or bad wine (unless you buy the expensive stuff), but I do miss getting great coffee to go in any place and on every block. Oh, and I miss kinkos. Why doesn't France have a store like that? I don't miss the diluted coffee is in the States, nor the fact that it's nearly impossible to find a nice place outside where you can sit down and enjoy a cup of diluted coffee. I did miss Doritos and (kind of good) maple syrup but halleluiah you can now find them in your local supermarket in France! I miss being able to talk loud in a public place without getting stared at and being able to take children out to a restaurant. I don't miss going to restaurants and having to listen to screaming (though very adorable) kids. I miss volunteering, sarcasm (or people understanding sarcasm), and great TV shows. I don't miss eating fast oh but I do miss being able to eat a quick lunch over vacation. I miss straight to the point meetings, but I don't miss the lack of vacation days in the States. I don't miss i-phones, because they have them here...and that's what I'm using to write this. Ok. I'm getting bored here.
Is that answer good enough for all of you?
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