It's like Christmas...only nothing is wrapped in red and green paper. And I think I might be a little more excited about these gifts!
Santa (Phil) arrived home a couple of minutes ago...driving his sleigh, a tiny European rental car stuffed to the brim with "AMERICAN" stuff.
Phil went to Ramstein, Germany--the largest US base/community outside The United States. He went for a couple of medical appointments, just routine flight physical stuff, and some good-old-fashion-American-capitalism-priced products!
This trip of his was planned for awhile, so we had been keeping a running list of items to buy, which was posted on our kitchen cabinet. As random things would come to mind (like corn syrup), I would be sure to write them down. The morning Phil left, I even took time to prioritize the list with stars and numbers. Like I mentioned before in a previous post...I need to get a life!
But was a big deal trip because the closest American base to us is seven hours away (in Italy, actually). So I knew I needed to be thorough with my American-type grocery/home necessities of the moment and anticipate needs for the near future.
The drive took him nine hours. He said he paid the equivalent of sixty dollars in tolls and one hundred dollars for diesel (thank you rental car) each way. He was gone for three days. It was quick and productive!
So what does an American living in France need to drive all that distance and pay all that money for???
Here you go...
1. TV---we didn't bring ours from the US because we knew it wouldn't work. And we have had a small hand-me-down, but this was our big ticket item we were anxious to buy in Germany. Why Germany? Well because electronic goods are just laughably expensive in France and the technology wouldn't transfer to America when we were ready to leave and move it with us. The TV Phil bought in Germany will work in Europe and in the US.
2. A microwave--see above explanation on electronics's pricing in France. This is not an exaggeration...the microwaves in the stores here go for 200 Euros (like $350.00)! Are you kidding me?
3. Towels--towels from the huge grocery store (the French equivalent of a WalMart-minus the low prices) are 20 Euro ($35) each. Again, I was happy to wait a month for some more towels at American prices. Phil paid $7.99--US Dollars--thank you Martha Stewart!
4. Children's Tylenol and Motrin-- you can't buy them at the Pharmacy or any store...you to have a prescription for them from a doctor. Be warned America about "universal" health care!
5. Tupperware and Ziplock baggies--I think there must be an extra tax on all things that have anything to do with plastic. One would think you were putting leftovers into little pots of gold at the prices they want for plastic storage stuff. But I guess leftovers are a very American concept. No doggie bags at restaurants here!
6. Running shoes--again because of pricing in France and limited number of brands available! I'm a Brooks girl, always have been.
7. Outdoor grill
8. And then just random (very random) grocery items. Pancake mix, Diet Coke (because Coca cola lite just isn't the same for purists like us), Cheezits, black beans, yellow corn meal, peanut butter, green chilies, corn syrup. I have not found substitutes for these things as of yet in France--and I'm not quite willing to give them up!
Phil has some funny stories from the Commissary/Exchange (the military owned grocery store/department store). He told me it was so American, that the people who bag your groceries for tips at the Commissary are Asians. Which is funny because at every base in the US we've been at--Jacksonville, Monterey, Pensacola- they've been Asian too. There was a Chili's and Macaroni Grill and Burger King and other American eateries. There were multiple radio stations in English giving weather reports and playing American music. Oh yeah, and everyone there was speaking English!
Staff at the base repeatedly said to Phil, "Oh, I didn't know we had a base in France." To which, he would reply, "We don't. I'm the ONLY American on the French Air Base." Shock and horror would be visible on their faces. Yeah, that's right...you have it pretty easy here in "mini America".
But we have the Mediterranean, the sunshine, the French-vacation-mindset...so I'll eat my American black beans and corn bread here inside my house...my "mini America", in the south of France.
I think I see Phil smiling from inside the car when he pulled up! I am glad you were able to have an American-infusion of goodies. It will help "home" feel a little more "normal"!
ReplyDeletePhil, you seemed to have pulled a Mary Poppins. How in the world did you fit all of that, including a TV and outdoor grill in the car? Seriously.. I am STILL laughing at imagining you pack that thing. Impressed, very impressed.
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