English Topics - Things we miss about America

Alisha: Hi, everybody. Welcome back.

My name is Alisha and I'm joined today in the studio by...

Michael: Michael.

Hey, everybody.

Alisha: And today, our topic is going to be our favorite things that we miss when we are

outside of America.

So, let's get right into it.

The first thing on my list for today, my list of three items, I've chosen ovens.

One of the things that I really miss when I'm outside of America is ovens.

The ovens that my family has always had in our house are very, very big.

You can cook turkeys, you can cook casseroles, you can cook pretty much anything you could

ever imagine in an oven.

When I'm outside of America, I often find that oven sizes are noticeably smaller or

ovens themselves are just harder to come by than they are in America.

So, that's one thing that I really, really miss when I'm outside the States.

I don't know if this is the thing that plays a big part in your life, but for me, it's

a big thing.

Michael: Mmm.

Honestly, I didn't notice until you said that because I don't cook.

I'm lazy.

I just go to the convenience store or I go to whatever street vendor or something like

that which I know is more expensive but you know, a true American, I just want convenience.

Yeah.

But, I think, most things, like you said, I think that's going to be a general theme

for most of us is everything's bigger in America.

Alisha: Yeah.

Michael: Actually, that leads me to one.

That's a good transition.

Then we pick the one.

Um, this one.

Okay.

So, speaking of everything being bigger, space.

I miss space.

You take it for granted, you don't realize it.

Especially, if you go to some more crowded countries like in Asia and that's where I've

been for the past, past wow.

And, yeah, most people--you have no idea.

In America, it's pretty common, I would say, it's starting to change, but it's typical

for 18-year-olds to move out and live by themselves and that's not true in a lot of countries.

In a lot of countries, they live with their parents until they get married.

And so, I grew up going to house parties, you don't go to the bar.

You can't drink legally until you're 21 so you go to people's houses.

It’s cheaper even when you are of age, as you should wait.

But, there are always house parties.

It's never an issue to have space.

Also, driving, there's tons of space, tons of room.

Yeah, just in general, I miss space.

So, that's probably why they don't have ovens in some other countries.

Alisha: Right, right.

Yeah, your point about space is so true.

Especially that point that you made about the difference between having house parties

and parties at a bar, at a restaurant.

When I've been in countries, in Asia as well, I rarely get invited to people's houses.

You only get invited to someone's house if you've known them for a long time and you're

pretty close friends, at least in my case, maybe my friends are different from your friends,

I don't know.

But, yeah, having a house party is very, very rare, I find.

And, if you do have a house party, there are very few people.

It's not like big college parties in the States.

Michael: It's not a rager.

It's just a--it's like a dinner party.

It's the equivalent of an American dinner party where it's adults having wine, eating

food, okay, leave.

But, in the States, I think, it's just so common.

You rent from a friend and it doesn't matter if the carpet gets dirty, whatever.

There's another house over there, there's plenty of space to go around.

Alisha: Yup, yup.

That’s a good point.

Okay, great.

Well, I guess I'll go on to my next one.

You're probably going to sense a theme going on with mine.

But, my next one, I've chosen cheese.

I really like cheese and I find that it's more expensive, I should say, it's more expensive

and maybe options are somewhat limited.

Well, depending on where you travel in the world.

We've been talking a lot about Asia where we have experience.

And in Asia, there's, you know--I mean cheese is available but it's often much, much more

expensive than it is in the States.

So, that's something that I really miss.

I like it from time to time and just going to the supermarket or to a department store

in Asia and seeing something that would cost, I don't know, $3 or $4 in the in the States,

being $20 or $25, it’s just a little, “Ah!”

It's one of those things that you kind of miss about home.

A small convenience that would make life a little bit more fun.

Michael: Hmm.

Yeah, I agree.

I love cheese.

People talk, “Oh, if I eat too much cheese, my stomach will hurt.”

No way.

I can eat cheese until I die.

I love cheese and I miss it.

But, yeah, sometimes it's hard to really convince yourself to spend that extra.

You can get pretty much anything, It's the 21st century.

You can go to Costco or whatever and get peanut butter or whatever you miss.

But, to bring yourself to spend that ridiculous amount of money, it's tough.

Alisha: Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Michael: Yeah.

I'm speaking of food.

Speaking of food.

I miss this one.

I'm from Colorado and this is the best food you'll ever have in your life.

It's called Chipotle and it's from Colorado and it's--we have a lot of Mexicans in Colorado.

So, we have a lot of Mexican influence.

This is definitely not authentic Mexican food.

This is definitely Americanized.

It's huge.

You know, big burritos with lots of cheese, meats, rice, so filling.

I love it.

And, it's hard to find that kind of stuff.

Alisha: Yeah.

Michael: Just food in general.

Some real hearty, artery-clogging, disgusting stuff that just, oh, hits the spot.

Alisha: For sure.

Yeah, I totally agree.

I guess I'm just going to share my last one.

My other word is burritos.

Michael: Oh, yes, yes, yes.

Alisha: It’s true.

Burritos.

Maybe, I don’t know.

Maybe we're cut from the same cloth from this point.

Michael: Where are you from?

In which state?

Alisha: I was born in California but we moved to Oregon.

Now, my family's in California again and one of the things I was recently back in the States

and I ate a lot of burritos.

I had this thing called like an extra super burrito because I thought just the fillings

were going to be--I thought they're going to be a lot of fillings or was going to be

spicy.

But, it turned out to literally be like this long.

I'm not exaggerating.

I took a picture of it.

They had these two massive tortillas to wrap the whole thing.

And then, I couldn't actually pick it up, I had to like lay it down in a table.

I'm like--part of the end of it to eat it.

Yeah, yeah.

I don't know if this is unique to our generation or unique to people who are from like the

West Coast of America.

But, in the West-ish side of America, just man, burritos.

There's just nothing like them.

Michael: Hmm.

Yeah, I miss it.

It's part of my childhood.

Not to go on too long but Mexican influence is growing in America.

So, you don't say, “Do you want to have Mexican tonight?”

You say, “Let's have burritos.

It's taco night!

Thursday is taco night.”

It's just a part of my culture so I would say it's part of American culture.

Alisha: Yeah.

Taquitos, burritos, tacos, tostadas, chimichangas, enchiladas, anything.

Anything with meat, tortilla, cheese, something spicy.

Yeah, yeah.

Michael: Oh, the spicy food.

Oh, men.

Alisha: I always miss those things.

Michael: True Americans.

Everything is food, food, food.

Alisha: I know.

So, okay, let's do this one.

Another one I was thinking of is 24-hour cafes.

So, mainly for the Wi-Fi, but this is pretty common, I think.

Especially for high school students, going back to like parties, when you can't drink,

you can't do anything too exciting.

So, usually, you go with your friends and you loiter at Denny's or something like that.

It's open 24 hours, you just get some coffee and you just sit and talk and you annoy the

waiters and waitresses.

That's like pretty, I’d say, normal American experience.

Alisha: Yeah.

Michael: And, I miss it.

Some towns I've been into lately just shut down, it's surprising.

Especially if it's not the weekend.

It’s just like nothing's going on.

Again, this isn't like just America, but it's definitely part of my childhood.

Alisha: Right, yeah.

When you said 24-hour café, I thought, “Oh, there are 24-hour cafes in other countries,

in other places.”

But, I see what you mean.

There's a certain--it's like a diner, I think.

You can see maybe examples of them in old movies sometimes.

You can just go in there at 2:00 in the morning and get a coffee and a piece of pie.

There's nothing mysterious or sketchy about it at all.

It's just sort of this nice, usually quiet--maybe there'll be some strange people in there.

You might look strange for going to a coffee shop at 2:00 in the morning but I mean--it's

just, yeah.

I know exactly what you mean, it's that atmosphere.

Going there with your friends, you know after the football game or something like that.

It's just sort of a nostalgic sort of thing to do.

Oh, that's a nice one.

I like that one a lot.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Aw.

Michael: Now, we’re homesick.

Alisha: Great.

Michael: Well, that’s all we have today.

Alisha: Those are some really interesting.

A lot of food options but some interesting things that we miss about America when we're

not at home in the States.

If there's something that you miss about your home country or your home city, please let

us know about it in the comments.

It's been fun, again.

Thank you very much for joining me, Michael.

Michael: You're welcome.

Alisha: Okay.

And, thank you all for joining us again, as well. We hope to see you again soon.

Bye.