I hope to be an expat in about a year. What are some of the things you can't find in Italy you wish you had? I see several comments about Peanut Butter (Adams Old fashioned?) and Tomatoe soup. What else is missing??
Posts: 25 | Location (City & State): Tacoma, Washington, USA | Registered: 12 August 2006
I think there is a long list somewhere on this site of all the things expats wish they have but not sure of the link...but for me baggies is one thing I have all guests bring....
From an American: Advil, Aspirin, children's cold/flu medicine, polysporin, spice mixes (chili, for example), more English language books for pleasure - you can find most of these things here but you pay much more. Other than that, never missed a thing from the U.S. EXCEPT the cheap sushi and other ethnic food!
Skittles, Reese's Pieces, Dr. Pepper, different types of beer (pumpkin ale!), Starbucks (or coffee shops in general), foundation in lighter shades, shoes and pants that fit, Target and driving a car. I'm sure there is more but that's what I miss the most today.
You get to a point after a while of NOT dwelling on what you miss , and dreaming about when you're next visitors 'from back there' (wherever that is) are due to arrive. Then you get on your knees and BEG them to bring you perhaps just a couple of very special things that there is NO SUBSTITUTE for here in Italy...for me that is Lincolnshire sausages and Wilkins Orange and Tangerine Marmalade.
With the weight restrictions now on the (cheap) flights, it is unrealistic to expect much more from friends. I DO however ask (always) for Ibubrofen tablets.... be mad not to with what they cost here.
But as for the rest - well you can get most things or their equivalents here, and often better/nicer than "back there" !
Originally posted by Valli: Robinson's Lemon Barley
Old English Stores Florence . I bought the orange flavour!
My friend sent me for my birthday: squeezy Marmite, a selection pack of Green and Black's organic chocolate in various flavours, Heinz Baked bean microwave snackpots, a packet of loose Earl Grey (UK Earl Grey by Twinings is stronger) and a packet of Jaffa cakes!
The Green and Blacks were lovely, but Pennymarkets Soft Cakes now beat Jaffa cakes anyday! Which really surprised me! But also made me happy - I'm going to send her some now!
Originally posted by Carole B.: Wilkins Orange and Tangerine Marmalade.
My butcher stocks a Florentine brand of marmellata by a company called F.lli Chiaverini &C. Their Arance con Scorze is the closest I have found to a genuine marmalade, a little sweeter than I normally would buy, but still great on toast!
My MIL in the UK has started posting her free prescription Paracetomol over to me! Each tablet is double a normal one, so not for my kids but fine for me!
Edited to remove excessive quoting only. A.T.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Alice Twain,
Being a SoCal girl, anything Mexican. Real salsa, fresh tortillas, refried beans, yummmm...I am actually making Huevos Rancheros for dinner tonight. Hmmm, maybe I should add that recipe to the FOOD topic!
This subject comes up occasionally. :-) Last time I seem to recall a discussion about semantics... If in talking about 'miss' you mean notice the absence of, there are quite a number of things you can't get in the shops here, but I do tend to take CaroleB's view of not worrying about or desiring the missing items until an opportunity arises.
So when my nephew recently came out from the UK he bought me loose strong tea and strong cheddar.
Incidentally Alyson, sorry to miss you on your hols. I have more than adequate stocks of Ibu, aspirin and paracetamol after listening to advice here about how expensive they are. As I use them about once a year at most (as I don't get headaches, or PPs at my age) I've realised I don't actually need them and I might have to pop you and Carole some in the Italian post. Italian post? OK, maybe not....
Posts: 713 | Location (City & State): Valle d'Aosta | Registered: 24 November 2005
All this reminds me of Thanksgivings à l'Italiana and how crazy it all was: finding a whole turkey was the first challenge, a substitute for cranberry had us scouring the Old England (note to Alyson--it's still there then? Wow) for all sorts of marmalades, forget pumpkin pie! we didn't get that on the menu till the late 70s at the earliest. It was like a marathon. But you know? every year we managed to pull it together and our Italian guests (who never could figure out what the feast was all about) always marveled at our ingenuity in assembling the most appalling menu they'd ever encountered!
Posts: 870 | Location (City & State): From Lille to Torino | Registered: 12 January 2008
Originally posted by MB: " - and apple sauce! I've found it in small containers, but they cost a fortune. I used to live on that stuff."
Easy enough to make! I haven't made it in a while but I'm sure you could google it. A mix of peeled/cored apples, a little water, some sugar(more or less depending on the sweetness of the apples, but usually very little). Cook/steam until they are really soft, then put them through the food mill you'd use for tomatoes. Voila! My son lived on it and roast chicken for two weeks once when he had a bad stomach virus (they were the only two things that would stay with him).
Thanks Sue!! My MIL put them in red tissue in a jiffy bag with my toddlers birthday present, we were all very surprised when we saw Nanny was sending her pills!!
We moved over here last September and had previously read past posts to the various forums on what people missed or wanted from the States or from their respective country of origin.
We moved over from the Washington, DC area this past September and shipped over 4 boxes of Asian ingredients, spices and other items, e.g., ziplock bags, Splenda, etc. with 37 boxes of household items, clothing, linens, books, etc. -- no furniture.
Yes, you can buy many of the Asian and other items mentioned in other posts over here but they cost several times over than what you would pay for the very same item in the States plus you are now paying for it in Euros. What we have asked friends and visitors to bring over to us: Bisquick, Cheetos (crunchy), Quaker Oaks (old fashion style not the quick cook variety), TexasPete Chicken Wing BBQ sauce, Dawn Direct Foam dishwashing foam, wax paper, etc.
There are items that we are used to and yes, we can do without them. I would suggest if you have any favorite food and snack items, Mexican food items and spices, cosmetics, OTC drug items, clothing items including bras, etc. be sure to bring them over with you. You may be able to find equivalent food items over here but they are NOT what you are used to back home. They do not taste the same and you do not have as many choices or varieties for some items.
However, you will find yourself saying that the vegetables taste better and are fresher than back home. There are spices that you'll find here that are less expensive or are different than some of the ones that you used back home. You may discover new products in Italy that they may not have back in the States.
Keep on asking questions and be prepared for living in Italy.
Ciao, Ben
Blog: Moving2Italy2, http://moving2italy2.blogspot.com/ – The #1 source of links About, For or On Italy for those individuals moving, traveling or already living in Italy.
Posts: 293 | Location (City & State): Monte San Savino (AR) | Registered: 02 February 2005
Why must people always freak out when I mention that I like Starbucks (or any other non Italian coffee)? It's not like you have to choose what side your on, a person can like many different coffee styles. Bryan don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Italian coffee and as much as I like the bar scene in Italy, I miss the coffee shop atmosphere that doesn't exist here (you know the one where you can sit down in a big chair and read or something). I enjoy having a Frappuccino (or two) just as much as un caffé and I don't see anything wrong with that.
Expats in Italy Forum 
, and dreaming about when you're next visitors 'from back there' (wherever that is) 
are due to arrive. Then you get on your knees and BEG them to bring you perhaps just a couple of very special things that there is NO SUBSTITUTE for here in Italy...for me that is Lincolnshire sausages and Wilkins Orange and Tangerine Marmalade. 
