Food is not loaded with sugar as in the US and they walk everywhere. Not uncommon for a girl to have to walk several flights of stairs several times a day either. Elevators don't work in all the buildings. I've been there and seen it with my own eyes. I lost 10 lbs myself while there. Fat people under the age of 40 is rare to see. Who needs the Atkins diet! Go to the FSU for a month!
First of all, I DID see overweight younger women (under 30 years old) when I visited Ukraine last year. I saw TWO of them. In the two weeks I spent.
Their diets include lots of carbohydrates (potatoes, vegetables, noodles and breads) and a lot of fatty foods (sausages etc.). But they don't eat processed foods as much as we do and they don't eat AS MUCH food as we do. (Remember it is quite expensive.) They also stay active.
I sent one of my girls some things recently. They aren't very crazy about getting those little styrofoam packing peanuts - so I looked for an alternative. Something lightweight to take up space and prevent things from shifting. I found the right sized bag of CheesePuffs (unopened of course)that could be packed around the object in question.
My girl had never heard of or seen CheesePuffs before and wondered what they were all about. She told me that she had had potato chips but nothing at all like that. Not so many munchies there. (And she really didn't seem to like the taste of them either - too salty and not really like cheese she said.)
That's not a bad idea if you visit, to take some samples of your country food. I know with an ex business I had in Germany that we used to send each other or take different types of food and gifts you couldn't normally get. It's a nice treat.
The CheesePuffs worked great as packing material. In an effort to be kind to silent readers and even trolls I mention, of course, LEAVE THEM IN THE BAG when using them this way. (Our contributing writers of course, are very bright, and don't need such reminding).
Cheap bags of cotton balls are also appreciated, and very light. They work well for smaller spaces. (Russian girls use a lot of cotton balls for make up removal it seems).
I was kind of surprised that the CheesePuff packing material was commented on by her, more than what I bought it to pack around.
Potato chips ( or crisps as we call them ) are quite hard to find in the FSU, if you find any they are usually a local brand which suck, or Lay`s (made by Walkers crisps UK) but the cheese and onion ones don't taste the same :o////
Another thing which is wildly different is Tomato ketchup !! They don't put vinegar in theirs and it is, to my taste almost tasteless and too sweet, but hey maybe others will like it :o))
There is almost No processed food in the FSU, you cant walk into a supermarket in many places and buy a ready made shepherds pie for example, in the FSU you have to buy a fresh lump of shepherd and mince it up yourself ;o)))
Tinned food is not common either.
You will probably find that when you meet, marry and bring your lady home, that she will bring her "style" of cooking and eating with her, she will want to buy fresh meat and vegetables and do the work herself to serve them as a meal. Don't try to fight her on this !! She will think that either you don't like her cooking, or that you are trying to fatten her up by encouraging her to eat crap !!!
Lets face it guys, US or UK our dietary behaviour is not good !!!
Fast food just means fast weight gain !!
I remember being in Toronto, Canada the first time, popped out to lunch across the road and asked the girl for a packet of crisps (which were right in front of me) and she looked at me stupid, hello? crisps, they're right there! It took a moment or two before I realised the mistake and said "potato chips" when suddenly her brain clicked. sheeesh. Don't Americans/Canadians know the dual English terms for common items???
I enjoy cooking and would much rather buy the raw ingredients than pre-prepared nonsense and I think that feeding your sweetheart with typical Western food can only turn her into the 'size' of a typical local woman and we don't want that! lol :)
Quite agree derrick,some transatlantic translations (what!!)do suffer a lot.
And I'm sure we all know about the guy asking for a "rubber" in the stationery shop and risking life and limb!!!.:)))))))
You UK'ers insist on calling those thick fried potatoes often served with Fish, "Chips". Didn't your mother teach you that those are actually "french fries" if cut square, and "American fries" if cut as slices?
I would appreciate it if you would each (I know there are serveral of you contributing to this forum) report to a few "Fish and Chip" places tomorrow and have them change thier menus to reflect this correction.
You best get started now as I understand that you will each have a lot of ground to cover. And I may visit the UK sometime withing the next decade or so. Would be nice if the changes were in effect before I got there.
But seriously folks....
A few years ago my family host a "Foreign Exchange" student from New Zealand. She was high-school age and quite surprised when school was cut short one day so that we could have a "Pep Rally" in the gymnasium to support out local football team (another word that you Uk'ers have wrong by the way) before its game the next day.
When she asked what exactly happens at a Pep Rally - she was quite surprised to discover that chearleaders and classmates gather to "root for the team".
Apparently where she came from, student bodies weren't NEARLY so supportive. If you understand what I mean.
Its off the topic of the site, but relevant to Jets last tirade about the English language :o)))
Recived by the US governmet from the UK during the last "election fiasco" in the USA:
> To the citizens of the United States of America,
>
> In the light of your failure to elect a President of the USA and thus to
> govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your
> independence, effective today.
>
> Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchial duties over
> all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she
> does not fancy. Your new prime minister (The rt. hon. Tony Blair, MP for
> the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world
> outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without the need
> for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A
> questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you
> noticed.
>
> To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules
> are introduced with immediate effect:
> 1. You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then
> look up "aluminium". Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at
> just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. Generally, you should raise
> your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary". Using the same
> twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you
> know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up
> "interspersed".
> 2. There is no such thing as "US English". We will let Microsoft know on
> your behalf.
> 3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It
> really isn't that hard.
> 4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the
> good guys.
> 5. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen",
> but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get
> confused and give up half way through.
> 6. You should stop playing American "football". There is only one kind of
> football. What you refer to as American "football" is not a very good game.
> The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders
> may have noticed that no one else plays "American" football. You will no
> longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football.
> Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult
> game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby
> (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for
> a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like
> nancies). We are hoping to get together at least a US rugby sevens side by
> 2005.
> 7. You should declare war on Quebec and France, using nuclear weapons if
> they give you any merde. The 98.85% of you who were not aware that there is
> a world outside your borders should count yourselves lucky. The Russians
> have never been the bad guys. "Merde" is French for "shit".
> 8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 8th will be a new
> national holiday, but only in England. It will be called "Indecisive Day".
> 9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your
> own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.
> 10. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.
>
> Thank you for your cooperation.
If I can add my little bit here....after reading that post Tim,I reckon we can dissolve the UN too,you are far more practical (and eloquent too) about solving problems.
Haven't laughed so much in ages,nicely put Tim....:))