Number Thirty

So this is my 30th post on my blog! Very exciting, it's almost like I've actually accomplished something. I will dedicate this post to my sister, who also recently celebrated something to do with the number thirty.

Saturday morning we got a treat, our care package from home finally came! We had been anxiously waiting for it, since we ordered new DVDs to watch, and mom promised to add some goodies to the box. Our moms have been so sweet, sending us things from home, especially since shipping is ridiculously expensive. Mike's mom sent us new sheets, which we immediately put to use. Ikea may make great furniture, but their sheets are weirdly scratchy and uncomfortable. Mom went all out, and got us new soap, new toothbrushes, and new deodorant, which we definitely need. For some reason, deodorant sticks here are really tiny, they're short and thin compared to what we're used to. It's like doll deodorant. You'd think since it's so hot here, they'd want massive, extra strength deodorant, but I guess that's just wishful thinking. Anyway, thanks for the packages moms! It's almost like being back home, when we used to steal things like soap and toilet paper and food to avoid going shopping.

We went to a barbecue this weekend that two of our new friends were throwing. One of Mike's co-workers, Nick, just got a job in New Zealand and will be leaving our little island for another, bigger island, so he and his girlfriend hosted a farewell barbecue. I'll miss them, but I could tell they were both pretty happy to be going closer to home. It was a fun mishmash of people, lots of Australians, a couple Canadians, one more American besides us, and a lone Swede. Poor little Swede, I think he's suffering the most from culture shock and seems a little down. Or maybe that's just the Nordic personality.

It was bring your own meat, since meat gets pretty pricey here, but Nick made a bunch of chicken wings for everyone. Mike and I decided to celebrate the Fourth of July early, and brought burgers and potato salad. There were some local flavors added in too; in addition to burgers, steaks, wings, and chips, someone brought prawn crackers and crunchy seaweed.

It's funny, whenever we're hanging out with people who aren't from Singapore, all our conversations inevitably devolve into what foods we miss the most from home. It goes: talking about work, talking about movies, talking about home, FOOD. I think it must be a universal thing. According to Paul the Aussie, there's an Outback restaurant in Australia, but it's not like Outback Steakhouse; apparently it's like Medieval Times but with Australian cowboys instead of knights. I would very much like to go. We had a lot of fun grossing people out with tales of terrible-for-you Southern food, like biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak, and Chuy's big as your face burritos. Gee, I wonder why obesity is such a problem in our country....Paul looked particularly horrified when I told him about sweet potato fries dusted with brown sugar. "Why would you want to go and ruin a perfectly good chip?" was his reaction. Now, I don't even care for sweet potato fries, but I feel that people who eat Vegemite are in NO position to judge.