What do people miss about their country of origin?

[BillyB]

Going to the football ...

Its not easy following a non-Premier League team in Singapore.

Sadly I didnt even realise my team had a game last night

The good news is that we won , however, I am missing watching our perennial fight against relegation in the flesh!!

Were you making prawn sandwiches at the time?!

[Brah]

Going to the football ...

Its not easy following a non-Premier League team in Singapore.

Same here for the NFL.

[rajagainstthemachine]

the sheer act of getting on a motorbike and riding to nowhere for a few hours and then having a chai and smoke in an obscure village in the middle of nowhere.

[BedokAmerican]

Having an automatic dishwasher
Convenience of driving a car (although I don't miss the fuel prices)
Groceries and clothes that are affordable
Wider selection at stores
Store employees who know the product and can tell you where things are
Being able to understand people and for them to understand me
Change of seasons
More clear directional signs
Air conditioned elevators/lifts
Being able to buy Tylenol, Ibp or other medications over-the-counter
Anti-discrimination laws
Drivers who stop more often for pedestrians at crosswalks
Fish in restaurants being served with the heads cut off

[Brah]

Fish in restaurants being served with the heads cut off

Haha, good one.

As were your others.

[Sloc]

Fish in restaurants being served with the heads cut off

And prawns with the shells, feet and head actually removed. So that I can just pick them with my fork/chopsticks and transfer the deliciousness to my mouth instead of fighting a losing battle doing prawn surgery with chopsticks every time I order seafood fried rice or tom yum soup.

Sucks out all the fun of eating seafood.

[Barnsley]

Going to the football ...

Its not easy following a non-Premier League team in Singapore.

Sadly I didnt even realise my team had a game last night

The good news is that we won , however, I am missing watching our perennial fight against relegation in the flesh!!

Were you making prawn sandwiches at the time?!

Gone native ...... Fishball noodle!

[BedokAmerican]

Whenever I'm at a restaurant and want to order seafood, I now always ask if there are heads and if so to cut them off. The waiter/waitress usually chuckles and nods and writes it down for the cook. I think they might be used to foreigners making such requests.

[sundaymorningstaple]

So I take it you don't eat ikan bilis here then.

[JR8]

So I take it you don't eat ikan bilis here then.

Strangely enough when cooking with ikan bilis (not the tiny 'sprinkle' ones, but the ones about 1" long) my wife fastidiously snaps off all the heads, before frying them off. Apparently they lend a bitter edge... or something like that.

Taking the heads off whole main-dish fish. I don't get it these days; it all seems so prissy. People eat fish, but can't tolerate being faced with the animal. It is like being intolerant of one's own proclivities, a circular contradiction.

Chicken McNuggets anyone?

[PrimroseHill]

I miss the "idea" of 4 seasons (UK doesn't quite have 4 seasons).
I miss a sense of humour

[sundaymorningstaple]

So I take it you don't eat ikan bilis here then.

Strangely enough when cooking with ikan bilis (not the tiny 'sprinkle' ones, but the ones about 1" long) my wife fastidiously snaps off all the heads, before frying them off. Apparently they lend a bitter edge... or something like that.

Taking the heads off whole main-dish fish. I don't get it these days; it all seems so prissy. People eat fish, but can't tolerate being faced with the animal. It is like being intolerant of one's own proclivities, a circular contradiction.

Chicken McNuggets anyone?

Yeah, you are right. I never noticed my wife doing that until last evening, but she does exactly the same thing. Guess I don't really notice as I've not eaten ikan bilis for over 20 years. (Them and Sardines are big no-nos if you are a gout sufferer)

Guess the OP would have a problem with Fish Head Curry then, d'ya suppose? Might actually get sick watching us dive into the cheeks of the head to get the best bits.

[JR8]

Yeah, you are right. I never noticed my wife doing that until last evening, but she does exactly the same thing. Guess I don't really notice as I've not eaten ikan bilis for over 20 years. (Them and Sardines are big no-nos if you are a gout sufferer)

Guess the OP would have a problem with Fish Head Curry then, d'ya suppose? Might actually get sick watching us dive into the cheeks of the head to get the best bits.

Ah gout. A sign of a life well-lived

Ah yes, the cheeks, yum. (Ox-cheeks are super-tasty too).

Google/Image search on 'Stargazy Pie'. Apparently one of Prince Charles's favourites during his stint at Cambridge.

[rajagainstthemachine]

Humour - people don't laugh here that much at all.

[Brah]

One has to wonder if it's because humor goes over some people's heads.

Or as I remember being on the wrong side of a scorned woman's rant on this forum many moons ago, the difficulty of being able to fully grasp and distinguish between wit and 'black humor' (her label, not mine) on otherwise commonplace commentary.