You can have it all

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I have lived outside of the United States for close to three years now. I admit, at first I missed things like having a clothes dryer, being able to read the labels on food, the radio, ice in drinks and free refills of cola at restaurants. But the longer I am away from the states the less I miss. And really, there is no reason to miss anything anymore. You can get just about everything you need out here.

I was able to watch the Inauguration of President Obama with the help of the Internet and free wifi. My male friends are able to keep up with the NFL with the help of sports bars like Gold Star, which show the games live from America. Sure, you have to watch them at 1:00 in the morning, but it’s actually pretty fun. And I hate football so that’s saying something. Red Hot and Blues showed the Oscars live at midnight. All of the important events make there way here somehow. There is a feeling of being in the same boat at these events. We expats are comrades who just can’t give up certain “All American” things. And Prague has responded.

One of my favorite things about Prague was the fact that it had a bunch of cute independent coffee shops, and not a Starbucks in sight. Well, that changed a few months back. Prague is now the most recent conquest of the Starbucks Coffee world domination tour. I have yet to set foot in one, but from what I understand its about the same. Really expensive coffee. It’s mostly expats and tourists that are paying for it. Sometimes comfort costs more than it needs too. Prague also has some really great shopping - not many “malls” - but some great and familiar shops. We have an H&M, and for those of you with more money than me, you can try shopping at Dior or Gucci downtown.

Prague hosts more McDonald’s than you can shake a stick at, about a billion KFC’s, a Subway and, just this month…a Burger King! It sounds funny, but it was kind of a big deal here. Until recently if you craved a BK Broiler or a Whopper with Cheese you would have to hop a train to Germany. And I know people who have done it.

So, three years later I actually prefer to hang dry my clothes - they keep their shape better. I can read the labels good enough to find the low fat yogurt, I can listen to the radio streaming on line and I don’t see ice as an integral part of my drink anymore. I have adapted to the way things are here. And heck, ain’t that half the fun?

http://www.teflworldwideprague.com/

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