No, seriously, what do you mean they don't have that here?

Helado I am, without question, the world’s pickiest eater. Also, it’s a running joke at home that I will never leave the house without something in my bag in case of a hunger emergency—which often ends up benefitting those who make fun of me. A few weeks ago, I went back to the states for my sister’s sweet sixteen. It was a whole shindig in a hotel and what not, so at the request of my parents, I flew in. My logic was if people were spending eight hours (via bus) en route to Barcelona, it would be equally possible, in terms of time anyway, to interrupt my semester abroad with a weekend home. So home I went—even though my sister thought I was a little crazy. My roommate asked me why I was taking a whole big suitcase, and I told her that it was to bring bagels back to Spain…she laughed, presumably because she thought I was kidding; that said, I couldn’t have been more serious! When I told another friend of mine I was going she only asked one question, “what are you going to eat when your there? I laughed really hard. Because I am so picky, this didn’t require much thought: I ate Mc Donald’s because, while they have it in Spain, it just isn’t the same. I had Chipotle, which I swear needs to open up international locations. I also went to Red Lobster for (my favorite) Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Cajun Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. Other than that I asked my mom to make me chicken parmesan and meatballs among other favorite home cooked meals! I made several trips to the grocery store and target, trying to figure out what foods were inaccessible in Spain. I brought Chewey granola bars and rice crispy treats which are good to keep in my bag for when I’m at school. I also got hot chocolate which I didn’t realize, until I had it again, how much I had missed. Additionally, I got six packs of six bagels each, keeping one in the fridge and freezing the rest when I got back to Spain. Don't get me wrong, I like the occasional Spanish tortilla and the chocolate ice cream here is so much better at home, that said, I think it’s really interesting, in spite of people thinking we live in a truly globalized world, how not universal some of our food is, and how for granted we take it—who knows, maybe I’ll be craving Spanish food when I go back to the states in December!

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