Little things I miss from living in America

So naturally there are a few things I miss from the U.S. Here are some of them. Some things are different here, some things you can’t get at all. 

Target, Walmart,Sam’s Club, and Costco – There aren’t really individual stores here that you can just get everything at or with the same variety. I have learned to adapt to this but I definitely miss the convenience of just going to 1 store to get everything. It was especially difficult before we got a car. We could only carry so much and had to walk to get everything. Definitely made me realize how privileged my life was before. The closest Costco is in Sevilla 2 hours away. I have gone a couple times but I used to go a few times a month because my husband eats a lot! We used to stock up on meats and other groceries because it was so much more cost effective and there were a few specialty and staple items I always preferred to get at warehouse stores. Now when we drive to Sevilla we can only bring back a limited amount due to my tiny car and our small refrigerator. And of course, who doesn’t love to just wander around Target? I kinda miss that. 

Buying makeup and Ulta– I LOVE MAKEUP! It was like my favorite hobby and I have always dreamed of being a makeup artist. So the lack of availability has been hard for me here. There are few brands at Wells, but they have a limited supply in-store. There is a Sephora about 30 minutes away but it is a lot smaller and doesn’t have all the same brands. I miss Ulta and even Walgreens. I can order from Amazon and BeautyBay but I miss buying makeup in person. However I dont have the space I used to and I’m trying to reduce the amount of stuff I buy and the shit I accumulate so it’s not completely horrible. But something about buying a new lipstick or mascara used to just make me so happy. And as I’m writing this, I’m getting that dopamine fix with this new Maybelline Mascara.

Amazon Prime– We get Amazon from Spain and we have prime but most things take longer to arrive. I miss the same day and next day delivery and free and easy returns. 

Mexican food/ New Mexican Green Chile– I was used to being able to get good Mexican food quickly and easily. It was everywhere in Las Vegas. There are no Mexican restaurants in Tavira, there are a few in the Algarve but I haven’t found one I completely love. I have had good Mexican food in Aveiro and Lisbon, but those are much further away. Luckily I can make my own but it’s not the same as it being so easily available and with a large variety. I really miss hitting up the Roberto’s drive through for some carnitas tacos! And I can’t buy giant packs of corn tortillas here either. Lastly, I have yet to find Hatch green chile, which I probably won’t, I was born in New Mexico so I ate it with everything. 

Cider– I don’t drink beer because of celiac but I LOVE hard cider. There are a couple brands of cider you can get everywhere here, Somersby and Bandida do Pomar. I can also get Kopparberg and occasionally I find some other random ones. All of these are good but I miss the variety of all the ciders in the states. I miss going to Total Wine and leaving with a custom made 6-pack of new and different flavors or a  brewery or bar with different varieties on tap. The abundance of wine kind of makes up for it though and I am loving exploring all the different wines here. 

Mio/water enhancer– I love these and can’t find them anywhere here. I found these Bolero mixes and they are really good but I have to make a full pitcher. I miss the ease of just throwing a Mio in my bag, I always had one with me before to add to my water or to a vodka-soda when I went out. 

My big refrigerator and big kitchen– refrigerators are so much smaller here. We only buy a couple days of groceries at a time.  I can also only buy 1 pint of ice cream at a time, which is heartbreaking lol. On the bright side, everything we eat is a lot fresher. I also miss having a big kitchen with lots of island space. But I do love how easy it is to clean our smaller kitchen, and much smaller apartment. I can clean the whole thing in like 2 hours! I really love that because I really hate cleaning

Central heating and insulation– our apartment is a little older and it gets really cold in the winter. Also buildings here are made with concrete, not layers of wood and insulation. We have 2 wall units but we try to not run them all day to keep our electricity bill manageable. I wear a lot of layers at home and I’m always under at least 1 blanket. But now that its warming up, it’s great to open the windows and get the nice breeze in all day.

Clothes dryer– Laundry takes a lot longer, everything stays wrinkled, it’s not soft after drying, and the pet hair stays on everything. However clothes are supposed to last longer when you don’t put it in the dryer. I found this wardrobe dryer on Amazon and it has helped too. 

These are just a few things that I was accustomed to in my previous life. A lot of it is just convenience and I am learning to adapt. Even though there are a few things I definitely miss, they aren’t things I can’t survive without and definitely not enough to move back. Additionally all the benefits and positive changes in my life more than make up for everything. I love our life here and am adjusting to everything, some faster than others, but I wouldn’t change it. And of course, more than anything, I miss my friends and family, but that’s what Whatsapp is for!