I only see two or three items on the list that I’m even interested in trying, most of which is fast food. There’s certainly nothing worth defecting over.
Nothing on that list sounds too special to me.
I suppose there’s no point in explaining how “defect” doesn’t just mean move to another country.
We had a big hunk of French Brie in our refrigerator while vacationing in St Martin last year that totally stunk up the rest of our food. It was soft in the fridge but became runny as soon as it warmed up at all. It was the best cheese I’ve ever experienced. I miss that cheese.
The Chicken is fried and has cheese inside.
Delivery service? You bet. Can he pick up those chili cheese nuggets, a masseur AND the free WiFi guy on the way over?
May I add one to the poll list? Japanese-style bath houses. You’re welcome.
The McDonald’s stuff specifically cited:
Australian: Angus, eggs and beets on burgers, feta spinish and pesto on breakfast burritos. eggBLT
Indian: chicken-fried veggie burgers of various kinds: corn, potato/pea, plus a spicy cheese
Filipino: ice cream floats on everything, with optional drink flavorings like apple
I chose only the things that I would myself use. I would support them all being available, though.
[ul]
[li]I don’t have any problem with current plugs. [/li][li]Kaya sounds pretty neat. Hope I can get some to try online.[/li][li]I’d be happy with just fast food delivery in general. [/li][li]I loved the McAngus, and like creative toppings.[/li][li]I like anything where it comes to you. It’s fun![/li][li]Might be fun to try a Japanese toilet, but I don’t have any pressing desire to have one.[/li][li]Free Internet, even when mobile? Do I have to explain?[/li][li]No need for absinthe. Don’t like being inebriated.[/li][li]Can’t generally do deep fried.[/li][li]Love heating blankets, why not add a table? [/li][li]Still don’t drink.[/li][li]Can’t do caffeine (fuck you new Crystal Pepsi!!! :()[/li][li]Would love to try brie, but can’t do cheese anymore. [/li][li]Deep fried and cheese together.[/li][/ul]
I might leave the US for a lower cost AND higher standard of living, say, I work half as much and live on the beach. Availability of processed foods isn’t a factor.
(And Tyson made/makes a product called AnyTizers Stuffed Chicken Minis which is the same thing, perhaps with better quality chicken)
(And I’ve never felt inclined to try the locally available Tyson product, either)
You really don’t want to stand on a prongs-up one in bare feet though. It’s like a lego brick * 1000
Universal healthcare that cannot drive me to bankruptcy or be taken away on a whim.
Mandated minimum vacation days.
Since those are not on the list, I pick free wifi. Absinthe sounds good too though.
Also, in my experience, 90% of Americans actively hate licorice (I like it so it is very conspicuous when someone else does). So I can’t imagine many would consider any absinthe a good thing.
Huh, kaya made it onto the list? As a Singaporean, I can vouch for the stuff. It’s really something you have to experience, though - I’m not sure if I could adequately describe it to someone who’s never had it before. It’s coconut jam, but it’s more savoury than fruit jams, and not tart at all. Sort of like egg custard, but with a coconut flavour and not as smooth - it’s not homogenous like jelly or custard, the mouth feel is more like a very fine chutney - sort of like the mouthfeel of Branston Pickle, if you can get your head around that.
What Filipino McD stuff is there? I’m not very familiar with Filipino food.
Here you go. Nothing too unusual (spaghetti?), but some local flavor, no McLumpia that I can see. And if you find a McD employee who cares at least a little in the US or anywhere else, I’d imagine that you can ask them to float some ice cream in your soda off menu (I don’t think we have apple Sprite though).
“Got to have kaya now…”
I had kaya for breakfast every morning when I lived in Malaysia and have been missing it. But unlike some of the others, it can be made at home so there’s even no need to defect. I looked up the recipe and all you need is eggs, sugar, and coconut milk; beat them together and keep beating until it thickens, and voilà. Although it’s even better flavored with delicious Pandanus amaryllifolius. Now that really is something to leave home for. It grew in my backyard in Malaysia. You just cannot get it here, not fresh anyway.
You might be able to get Pandan leaves from Chinatown. I used to buy them from the Chinatown in London. Kaya really does need the Pandan leaves.
I read Rocket News 24 [Japanese and other Asian countries interesting stuff] and they get some of the BEST sounding foods - like Baskin Robbins ice cream flavors like Black Forest Cake, or some of the interesting flavors of KitKats, or the local restaurants making neat ramen or <insert type of Japanese food> that looks and sounds delicious. Well, some of the McForeign foods sound good too =) [though to be honest, I wouldn’t normally consider going some place new and interesting and eating US Junk Food … I would go for one of the foreign options like a McFelafel or whatnot.]
I have two Toto Washlets in my house here in San Francisco, so I don’t have to live in Japan for that.
And I guess I can see where kotatsu might be appealing somewhere that has cold winters and you want to save on your heating bill. But in Japan they came about because of no central heating (the lack of which is gradually going away), and I don’t much care for sitting on the floor, even if there is a recessed hole underneath (in most Japanese homes, there isn’t anyway).
In Japan I’m familiar with vending machines that sell beer and sake, but not liquor. That sounds like a really bad idea.
Nothing else on that list speaks to me, although I’m willing to take it as given that French brie is better than what I can get here. Maybe someone can explain to me what’s so special about a UK electrical plug.
It gives an explanation on the original site, but from a user of many types of plug around the world it is far sturdier, individually fused and switched, doesn’t drop or droop out of the socket, inherently safe (you can’t insert it incorrectly) the plate doesn’t allow any thing to be inserted into individual holes.