American Snacks Gone Global
Erin
11 May, 2012 15:04
It's funny that no matter how far you go, some things never leave you. The taste of your first oreo. Your mom fixing a bowl of your favorite cereal before school. Lazy football Sundays with overflowing bowls of potato chips. American classics. So what is the rest of the world doing to our favorite treats?
ABC 7 news reports on "American snacks with a twist take off Abroad"
"Russians prefer their Lay's potato chips dusted in caviar and crab
flavors. The Chinese like their Oreos stuffed with mango and orange
cream. And in Spain, Kellogg's All-Bran cereal is served floating in hot
coffee instead of cold milk."
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May Day in Berlin and Beyond
Erin
02 May, 2012 14:50
May Day didn't have any meaning for me in the States. If pressed, the only thing that would come to mind is the May pole with happy villagers dancing around it. Ribbons and flowers and all that nonsense.
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We are NOT the Champions
Erin
17 April, 2012 12:40
The Olympics rapidly approach and while I expect my home country to be a powerful competitor (USA! USA! USA!), there is one popular event where we won't even compete. The United States men's national soccer team (Futball, Fussball, etc. for all you non-Americans) did not qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Washington Post
"5th minute of added time: Johnson fails to secure Jaime Alas’s low, 30-yard bid. Unbelievable. El Salvador has drawn even in closing moments.
Full time: USA 3, El Salvador 3. Americans are out in the group
stage. Salvadoran players with tears of joy — one of the great moments
in the country’s soccer history. ES wins the group, Canada finishes
second, USA is third."
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Ahhh! It's Tax Season
Erin
03 April, 2012 09:30
What's the date? April 3rd!? I know what that means: US TAXES are due April 15th! RUNNNNNNN!
Ok, so you can't run and you can't hide. The US is the only
industrialized nation that taxes its overseas citizens. Time to do taxes.
Or is it? Expat articles pop up every year about this time, offering a way out. More and more expats are relinquishing US Citizenship for the relief of avoiding US taxes:
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The Wonders and Disappointments of an American Kitchen
Erin
23 March, 2012 14:23
On our house hunt of Berlin, I have
been turned off by modern flats offering "American style" kitchens. That's weird, because on a recent trip back to the States I loved the acres of
counter space and interacting with friends and family through the open plan.
What's with my love/hate of the American Kitchen?
Funnily enough, two recent articles
about the subject caught my attention. Expatify's article "American-style kitchens vs. expat-style kitchens"
and Matador Network's "I hate your giant American kitchen"
explore the big bad reputation of the American kitchen. Expatify's piece
discusses it's not the size that matters; it's the food that counts. Matador's
piece is less subtle. She really doesn't think bigger is better.
It's true that American kitchens
tend to be huge ("American kitchen tends to be double or triple the
size of kitchens in most of the world..." Expatify), painfully similar
("Cathedral ceilings, recessed lighting, granite countertops..."
Matador), and are taking over the world. I couldn't believe the number of
Berlin flats that have had their charming little Küche cruelly chopped
out and replaced with a boring expanse of Ikea cabinets.
So what exactly is an American kitchen?
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New Stars of House Hunters International
Erin
07 March, 2012 10:26
You may not have heard of us yet, but that's just because "our
show" hasn't aired yet. Our show? Just a little American show called House
Hunters International. The show is a spin-off of the popular US based
"House
Hunters" and is apparently huge. Acquaintances,
friends, and family have all told us "They LOVE that show!". Each episode features an expat that is looking to make their home abroad. It follows along in their search to find a new home and examines the issues of a foreign housing market,
differences in lifestyles, and the challenge of leaving all you know
behind....all in 30 minutes.
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Whose Banks are Better?
Erin
21 February, 2012 10:16
Trying to open a bank account is difficult. Trying to open one in a foreign country is extremely difficult. Trying to open an account when you don't speak the language can be outright crazy.
We tried to pick the best German bank for us and think we did... ok. Understanding the terms is no easy feat and now that we've succeeded in opening one, I see both positives and negatives compared to our American bank.
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New Blog: American Expats
Erin
15 February, 2012 15:18
Americans can be a noisy bunch and that includes when we are abroad. As a Seattle expat living in Berlin, I pay particular attention to my countrymen popping up in the news. And we do. Americans abroad recount their experience in the Japan earthquake, tax lawyer explaining the financial ramifications of expatriating, and organizing political campaigns abroad.
This blog will bring stories of American expats to the forefront. I will scout out stories in which Americans share the unique experiences that make up our immigrant life, discuss the difficulties of being away from "home" and other context for news stories concerning American policy.
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