I recently moved to Australia, which I talked about last week, and with every move abroad you can`t but notice the things you miss. I`ve only been here a few months now, but it`s funny how quickly you miss things or notice differences.
It starts with the most common day to day stuff. When you go grocery shopping (and this is the same for any country you travel to), there are different things available and not available. Where it is nice to see new products to discover, other favorite articles might not be stocked. Like for example my favorite toothpaste. But then again it has its perks too! Now I can try new brands of beauty products.
You notice it in the food department as every country has their own characteristics when it comes to their cuisine. I miss Belgian chocolates, who wouldn`t right? It`s only the best chocolate in the world (well, according to me at least). I miss fries… yes they do have fries here in Australia, but they`re just not the same. (If you want to read about my obsession of Belgian fries, I suggest you read this) I guess the difference here is, even though we have international cuisine in Europe too, you notice the Asian food influence, because we`re located closer to it.
I see a difference when it comes to clothes. Europe has a high fashion standard and even though you can find fancy brands and shops in the main cities, I can`t help but think that there is a more laid back way of dressing around here. Maybe I haven`t found my style here yet and I need to do some more research (read shopping!).
I think what I miss most, besides the obvious which is family and friends, is how easy it is to travel within Europe. If you get on a train for two hours you can get from London to Paris, crossing three countries in those hours. Take a 2-hour flight from anywhere in Europe and you`ll be able to experience a different culture. Because you`re so close to everything, even a weekend getaway is enough time to get away to somewhere completely new!
Whereas if I travel from Perth for two hours I haven`t even left the state yet! It takes me 5 hours to fly from the west coast to the east coast of the same country. Australia is 31 times the UK, so you get where I`m going with this. Don`t get me wrong, Australia is a beautiful country with lots to see, but growing up in Belgium, a country you can cross from one side to the other in two hours, long distances is not something I`m familiar with, everything is just around the corner.
Of course moving abroad has its advantages too. Here are a few of the things I got in return for leaving Europe: stunning beaches, jaw dropping sunsets, blue skies and sunshine! Not to mention the laid-back, relaxed Aussie lifestyle and a whole new country to discover.
What do you miss or do not miss when you`re traveling?
This post was brought to you in partnership with TravelZoo.
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