Expats on the Back

I don't know what is wrong with me. I can't seem to bring myself to finish my homework assignments and I keep falling in love with unavailable things. First, there was Airwave gum, which I first tasted on a trip back to the Motherland in 2001 and was dismayed to learn, upon my return, that we don't carry them in the States. It's available nearly everywhere else in Europe and Asia. And probably other continents, too (wouldn't bet on Antarctica though). The next time my folks went back to Taiwan, they lugged back a box for me. Ever since then, Airwaves and its supermentholated goodness have been my trick for staying awake in classes. Honestly could not have gotten through the Bo' without Airwaves. And a piece totally came in handy in econ just this Friday afternoon.



Next, Father opened my eyes to Pilot BPS pens late in my high school career and now I don't write with anything else. It's a pen whose virtues I've extolled for years, mostly here- where no one can beat me up. And once again, I discover that they're not sold in the States. Sure, I can order them from the UK at "cultpens.com" for $2.60 apiece (plus $16.40 S&H) but even fanaticism has its limits. I'll just have to wait for Father to buy my next batch from Taiwan again like a normal crazy person.

Tonight, tragedy struck again. Avoiding homework, I decided to look for Tangfastics- the Haribo sour gummy pack that was such a positive part of my time in Eddie Bert- and discovered that, horror of horrors, it's an UK-specific Haribo product not available anywhere else. I can't even have Father serve as my contraband mule. Not even weird British specialty places sell it. Though I could have sworn I spotted it at a Dollar Tree in Somerville once. For now, we'll just have to settle for the awesomely named Schneck Leckers (the interweb tells me that that somehow means foam sugar snails).


(photo courtesy of Amazon.com-- it sells dozens of Haribo packs. just not the one that I want. I hate that smug snail and its sneer)