Ohhh sweet pork...

Things I have missed from America???(besides the obvious and even more important family and friends)

-Pork- ohhh sweet pork, bacon, ham, sausage how ever you prepare it, it is tasty stuff! My husband can't get enough bacon or pork ribs with BBQ sauce every time he comes to visit the States.Turkey is predominantly Muslim country. Muslims and Jews think pork is dirty. Here is a description from Wikipedia, a "walking" animal is kosher only if it both chews its cud and has cloven hooves. However, the pig is the only animal to have cloven hooves but doesn't chew its cud: its external aspect makes it appear kosher, while it is not, making it a symbol of hypocrisy. I must say it is delicious though!

-Wine- good and inexpensive wine and lots of people who want to share it!

-Clothing dryers- they make for non-crunchy clothes, crunchy jeans and crunchy towels are the worst! It is not so bad if you live where there is lots of sunshine and ocean breeze(Didim vs. Eskişehir or Istanbul).

-The variety! Yes I love Turkish culture, people, food but I have missed being able to go to sushi one night and Thai the next mmmmmmm and don't forget Mexican. I love that America is such a melting pot of cultures that has brought with them their food!!! Istanbul and Izmir have everything of course but most of the other cities don't stray. They might have restaurants from different regions in Turkey but rarely other countries. I am not sure if it is because it is such a prideful country??? Or because many people don't travel because it is hard to take visas and don't realize other things are out there????Or they are just stuck in their ways???I think there are a good amount of Americans that are afraid of change but far more embrace differences I hope???Anyone have any thoughts???? Also I hate when Turks or people from other countries think that all Americans eat is fast food, blahhhh!!! I guess that is all we export and it is not making us look very good.

-Also the shopping has been pretty fabulous! Again...the variety! Things such as electronics, cars, converse shoes etc are soooo inexpensive in comparison. I guess because many things were invented by Americans or we have been the worlds consumers for so long but other countries are hungry for the goods now a days!

-City planning instead of just piling another house or apartment building on top of an ancient village. In Turkey there are tons of half completed building because people either ran out of money to finish the project or they started building without government approval and half way through the government made them stop. It is such a waste to see these beautiful beach side property covered in concrete shells.

-City wide recycling programs, Americans have really grown in awareness and most I know find it second nature to recycle but still have the rest of the world beat on the amounts we use and how overly packaged every single thing is. plastic