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I'm an expat and I need...

A

AnnO'Neemus

Is so vanilla
Following on from the 'what do you miss when you're away from your home country' thread, I thought I'd start this one.

The idea is that if you're an expat/traveller and there's something you really miss, then you say what it is here -- e.g. certain type of tea, biscuits, English language books/magazines or whatever -- and then in a random act of kindness some other urbanites will volunteer to send you whatever it is in a care package.

NB: PM your postal address to those who volunteer, don't post it here.

[Mods, can this be a sticky in the travel section please?]
 
I was lucky when I lived in Beijing, in that we could get most stuff, but I know there are places where you can't get stuff.

Baked beans on toast was a special treat for me because it was about a quid a can from a speciality 'foreign goods' store. And there was the monthly pub quiz at the British embassy bar where we could stock up on Walkers salt & vinegar and cheese & onion crisps. It was difficult to get hold of decent English language books and magazines however, although we did swap them. It wasn't possible to get hold of Horlicks though. A few sachets of the instant just-add-hot-water stuff, would have been nice in my time out there.

I know what it's like, though, and figured a fair few urbanites would as well, and would be similarly willing to help out our expatriate compatriots.
 
I agree this is a good idea. Geminisnake sent me some Monster Munch last week which was fantastic. I am putting her together a package of some local specialities in reciprocation.
 
Boris Sprinkler said:
I agree this is a good idea. Geminisnake sent me some Monster Munch last week which was fantastic. I am putting her together a package of some local specialities in reciprocation.
Click to expand...
which is adds a lovely reciprocal surprise to it - tho it is a nice idea anyway - it would be fabulous to get some small exotic speciality in the post.
 
Could it work if there was something from a far away land that you'd heard of and always wanted to try??

I always wondered what a twinkie was and wanted to try one....then i did and it was grim! :D
 
Callie said:
Could it work if there was something from a far away land that you'd heard of and always wanted to try??

I always wondered what a twinkie was and wanted to try one....then i did and it was grim! :D
Click to expand...

You too? Were they mentioned in a comic or something? It was the one American thing I really wanted to try and it was absolutely foul :D
 
trashpony said:
You too? Were they mentioned in a comic or something? It was the one American thing I really wanted to try and it was absolutely foul :D
Click to expand...
Just about every 80s kids film mentioned twinkies (the Goonies sprins to mind). I too built them up into my unattainable ideal of a "candy bar", until I tried one, too, and it was indeed very nasty.
 
trashpony said:
You too? Were they mentioned in a comic or something? It was the one American thing I really wanted to try and it was absolutely foul :D
Click to expand...
But they were only famous as an example for what not to do ;) :p
 
moomoo said:
I'd love some Biltong - my children have never tried it :)
Click to expand...

my mate runs a biltong company, not that I eat it but frutibandit loves the stuff, they do loads of SA stuff, have a look at cruga.com, the pepper one is the best (apparently)
 
It is a great idea. Only problem is I dunno what I could send back from China in reciprocation.

The main sendable items that I appreciate getting are tea and marmite. Of course some salt and vinegar crisps would be great.

But what could I send in return?

Duck neck?
 
Ice, you can buy marmite in Australia, can't you?

I'd like any/all of the following:

Vegemite (it's more expensive here, but I still buy it, I'm asking anyway though)
Tim Tams, mint slice, bonds underwear, sunny warm weather. :cool:
 
RenegadeDog said:
It is a great idea. Only problem is I dunno what I could send back from China in reciprocation.

The main sendable items that I appreciate getting are tea and marmite. Of course some salt and vinegar crisps would be great.

But what could I send in return?

Duck neck?
Click to expand...

You could send me weird shit.. I love weird shit :cool:

Not duck neck weird shit though, non-edible weird shit.
 
Walkers square crisps S'n'V.......

Woul dyou like some kimchi? :)

But my postal address here is shit I've never recived anything from people who have sent stuff here....
 
It's the same for me. I get people to send parcels etc to me at the school, the actual block of flats has no clear way to receive stuff, fuck knows what the other denizens do.
 
wrysmile said:
Ice, you can buy marmite in Australia, can't you?

I'd like any/all of the following:

Vegemite (it's more expensive here, but I still buy it, I'm asking anyway though)
Tim Tams, mint slice, bonds underwear, sunny warm weather. :cool:
Click to expand...

i'v never found marmite here :(

pm me your address and i'll sort something out :)
 
Tunnocks Tea Cakes please :)

They're nice and light for posting. I miss my instant sugar hits.

Oh, and some pounds. Pounds would be very welcome.
 
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