SIMPLE AMERICAN PLEASURES (September 25th)

Okay, I admit it. I suck. I caved in and bought a Starbuck’s white chocolate mocha frappacino while in living for a three-month period in Lyon (and, as you probably would have been informed by the other lovely Lyon students, I’d only been here for about a week when the afore mentioned infraction occurred). Unfortunately, it’s a lot harder to go without those simple American pleasures than one may think, and it’s an experience like this that truly makes it apparent how we tend to take SO many things for granted (or at least I do, but since I’d never admit that alone, I’m using the plural and taking you all down with me). As support to my pluralized claim, I will also competently inform you that not a girl on this trip could say she’s entirely content with what Lyon has to offer her. On the contrary, we all have our own separate lists of highly missed, cannot wait to be able to have/use again, items. Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself (and enjoy the complete and utter obscurity of some of the desirables).

AD: 1. Nachos
2. Pillows
3. Cody (her puppy!)
PM: 1. Dancing On Tables
2. Her Bed
3. Normal Sized Showers (ours are approximately, 3x3)
NS: 1. Flatbread sandwiches & Coconut Cooladas at Dunkin Donuts
2. General Sao’s Chicken
3. Chili’s
LL: 1. Buffalo Wings
2. Nachos
3. Ellie (one of her beloved stuffed animals)
SSB: 1. Bacon & Cheese Burgers
2. People Who Speak Fluent English
3. Driving In Her Car With Loudly Blaring Rap Music
MW: 1. Her home
2. The radio
3. Her independence (SUCH AS being able to travel freely when/where she pleases, knowing the surrounding area by heart, being able to communicate without hesitation, etc.)
CF: 1. Driving In Her Car
2. Sunday Dinners At The Grandparent’s House
3. “One Life To Live”
RT: 1. Dunkin Donuts
2. Getting Ready With The Girls On Friday And Saturday Nights
3. Putting Up Away Messages
CL: 1. Sunday Football
2. Her Bed
3. Buffalo Chicken Wings With Blue Cheese Dressing

AND FINALLY, MY CHOICES:
1. Mt. Monadnock
2. Lazy Sunday “mornings” with my family
3. Strawberry Frosted Pop-Tarts (although at this point in time I’d take ANY flavor at all… I’m just THAT deprived. How do their college students survive without any access to the perfect* food?)
4. Typhoon Asia’s Crab Rancoons (& any Chinese food in general)
5. French Vanilla Flavored Coffee/Ice Cream/etcetera (can you believe “FRENCH” Vanilla doesn’t exist here? And I tried their regular vanilla. It’s not a good substitute.)

Avec l'Amour,
G

*Obviously Pop-Tarts. First of all, they’re a delicious food product that can be eaten at any time of day, which means they’re extremely useful for all meals, snacks, or desserts. Secondly, the fruit flavored ones are most definitely a healthy choice! In fact, I’m willing to bet that the fruity flavored ones provide the consumer with at least one full serving of fruit. Plus, they’re in a “pastry” type form so they have some grain to them that makes them a bit heartier. As far as travel goes, they’re VERY travelable due to those cute little foil packets. Not to mention, you can choose to eat them chilled, frozen, at room temperature, heated, or toasted! The possibilities are practically endless. It doesn’t get any better than that. I dare you to find a more versatile, appealing product on the market today.