Well, I doubt that there is even so much as a slice of cheese (let alone pizza) in the small city I'm in, but maybe in the city I'm going to next. Very few foreigners ever come here, and I don't think even McDonald's or Starbucks has made it this far.

Yup, leopards are some powerful cats for sure. Their climbing ability keeps them a notch above the rest.

Dumplings.....The only kind of dumplings I've eaten are chicken and dumplings, southern style. Delicious!

Zen, the people where you are don't eat cheese?

Oh yes Mc Donalds has not yet ruled the world!!! I'm actually tired of seeing Mc Donalds O_O
It's everywhere!

Heh, well "chicken and dumplings" are a completely different kind of dumplings than the ones we are talking about! You should try some Chinese dumplings sometime**

I'm currently in an off-the-beaten-track part of northeast China. Traditionally, most parts of China (except the southwest) don't have much cheese in their diets. I haven't seen a single Western restaurant in this city, and I highly doubt that they have an import food store. So, I might be the farthest I have ever been from a slice of cheese *sniffle*. But I'll be moving on to another city in a few days, and it might have some cheese somewhere. If not, I know there will be on one of the other cities I'll be coming up on later. I do tend to miss cheese while in Asia, but at least the cheese China does have is better than what I can find in Japan *shudder*

EDIT:
I completely agree - I cringe every time I see a McDonalds. They are like an infectious disease, destroying health wherever they go.

I don't like McDonald's anyway. I'm a Burger King person, though Hardee's is really good and their Thick burgers are to die for!

I've seen and heard of the different Asian type dumplings, just never had any. Again, I'm a very picky eater, and don't like veggies much at all, so that leaves a lot of Asian foods out for me. Matter of fact I only eat a few of those foods, being sweet and sour chicken and chicken noodle soup. I'll eat most of the beef and chicken meats. As for southern chicken and dumplings, don't let that crap in those cans or anything fool you. Those aren't anywhere near what real chicken and dumplings taste like.

I can't imagine not having cheese. I adore it-all except for cottage cheese and blue cheese. I'm sure there are a few others, but I can't think of them.

Where is your "home", Zen? Japan? Or does your job just keep you traveling? Please forgive me if that's too nosy of me.

Ah, well I don't eat meat at all, so I guess our diets are rather opposite! Well, you could try any of the many Chinese chicken dumplings. I can't imagine not eating much Asian food - I eat it regularly, in the US and in Asia (although I prefer real Chinese food to Chinese-American food).

I love cheese, and do find it one of the hard foods to go without - hence I try to track it down fairly regularly. The only cheese I don't like is swiss.

It isn't nosy to ask where "home" is . . . . it just isn't a question that has too straight-forward of an answer! I'm American, but my studies / future career frequently bring me to Asia for months at a time, particularly China because it is my specialty. (It's pretty hard to be vegetarian over here, but I manage.) The place where I feel the most sense of "home" is Florida, but I will be moving to either Hawai'i or Arizona for grad school next fall.

What about you? Where is your "home"?

there are way too many fast food places here in america.
O_o swiss cheese is one of the few cheeses I eat.

Fast food is gross and greasy and makes me feel sick. I like sandwich places like Quizno's mmm toasted. So good and they make the best flat breads with salads so yummy!
Yay for Tigers! My mom and oldest sister where born in years of the tiger. I'm a year of the monkey so have a long time to wait for my zodiac animal to come around :/

I agree that there are too many fast food places in America. I think that most of the traditional fatty and greasy fast food places like McDonalds and Burger King are disgusting and refuse to eat there. But I do like the newer trend in healthy and fresh "fast" foods like Quiznos and Subway. Just a waft of the freshly baked bread aroma coming from someplace like Subway is enough to get me in the door >.>

Yay for more tigers! Yeah, monkey is still aways off, but that means you've got time to plan something cool for your year XD

Nette:
I've never been to quiznos....
I always go to subway


I seem to have been the only one not to state my animal....:/

Well - what is your animal, if you don't mind telling us?

Never been to Quiznos? Well, I do end up at Subway more often than Quiznos, and feel like they have a bit more variety, but Quiznos is very good.

....rooster....
Nope never been to quiznos, But I do love me some subway. everyone in my house is too lazy to drive about thirty minutes to get subway.

Uhm,abt fast food,in VN,I usually go to KFC to eat-near my school is a KFC restaurant ,near traffic-circle is another ff restarant (lotteria)
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Have a nice day ,u guys ^^

KFC is actually the most popular fast food restaurant in Asia. I don't know why, but they really hit it big over here, and are everywhere.

Well, thirty minutes is a long way to drive for food. I love Subway too, but I tend to only get it when it is convenient to get it.

I don't like KFC either....-picky eater-

That's okay - I don't like them either. About the only thing they have that I'll eat is their coleslaw. Like I said, I have no clue why they are so popular in Asia. They are on the decline in the US, and I wouldn't be sad to see them go out.

So many to answer as I disappeared for a bit there.

Originally Posted by Shimawa_zen

Ah, well I don't eat meat at all, so I guess our diets are rather opposite! Well, you could try any of the many Chinese chicken dumplings. I can't imagine not eating much Asian food - I eat it regularly, in the US and in Asia (although I prefer real Chinese food to Chinese-American food).

I love cheese, and do find it one of the hard foods to go without - hence I try to track it down fairly regularly. The only cheese I don't like is swiss.

It isn't nosy to ask where "home" is . . . . it just isn't a question that has too straight-forward of an answer! I'm American, but my studies / future career frequently bring me to Asia for months at a time, particularly China because it is my specialty. (It's pretty hard to be vegetarian over here, but I manage.) The place where I feel the most sense of "home" is Florida, but I will be moving to either Hawai'i or Arizona for grad school next fall.

What about you? Where is your "home"?

Cheese is a love of mine.

So you travel a lot to Asia. That must be pretty exciting. All I can say as to my experience over there is that I was made in Japan :lol:! Really, I was. My dad was military. My sisters were younger when he was stationed there and they can remember it.

I've moved a lot myself, so I can understand how hard it is to call somewhere home, or more exactly, where I'm "from". I've always said I was from SC in the US-it's where my family all lives. But I've lived many places. I've only been back here for about three and a half years myself. Before moving back here, I lived in Florida for about ten years. I DO miss it terribly, especially the weather. I've lived in Hawaii as well. I loved it there, too. It was beautiful!

As for "home", I say, "home" is where you make it. I felt at home most in Florida.

Originally Posted by HitsuHime

there are way too many fast food places here in america.
O_o swiss cheese is one of the few cheeses I eat.

Yes, swiss cheese is pretty good! In sandwiches and my lasagna.

Originally Posted by nette

Fast food is gross and greasy and makes me feel sick. I like sandwich places like Quizno's mmm toasted. So good and they make the best flat breads with salads so yummy!


I don't eat a lot of fast foods, but have my preferences when I do and again, it's Burger King and Hardee's. Though Subway is really good to, though all I eat from there is a hot ham and cheese sub, with nothing but the meat and cheese. Yes, weird, I know! Yay for Tigers! My mom and oldest sister where born in years of the tiger. I'm a year of the monkey so have a long time to wait for my zodiac animal to come around :/

Unfortunately I think I'm a rat as for my year. So boring.

Originally Posted by --Lia--

Uhm,abt fast food,in VN,I usually go to KFC to eat-near my school is a KFC restaurant ,near traffic-circle is another ff restarant (lotteria)
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Have a nice day ,u guys ^^

Yes! KFC! I like them! But I saw the sign not long ago and they've changed the name again. I can't remember what the new sign, but I laughed and called it ridiculous.

Originally Posted by HitsuHime

I don't like KFC either....-picky eater-

It's ok. I'm really picky as well. As are my kids, but my youngest has all of us beat in my family.

If I like the cheese I can eat it plain...and I have my family beat also in being picky. yet I complain about eating the same stuff all the time....it irritates my mom.
but I'm going to go to sleep now I'm so tired and have school tomorrow... depending on the weather...
Night everyone~

Well, good night then, Hitsu!

HitsuHime - good night!

Infinitys Echo - Welcome back! My mom was a military brat, so she has lots of stories to tell about all the places she lived (mostly in the US, but she spent a few years in Germany). Her dad was stationed in Japan for a little while, but he wasn't allowed to bring his family with him.

Where did you live in Florida? I was in the Tampa Bay area, and I really loved it. I wish I could have stayed for grad school, but there really wasn't a good program in my field there. So now I've got my fingers crossed on Hawai'i because I know I would really love living there.

Rats aren't boring - rats are one of the luckiest animals of the zodiac. They are also the first animal in the cycle.

I lived in Orlando and Kissimmee. My daughter lived in Tampa for a while. Hawaii was very expensive when I was there twenty years ago-I'd hate tho see how expensive it is now! But it was beautiful! And a wide mixture of cultures.

Rats can be great pets, too, but they just aren't as exotic, fun, or pretty as most others is all.

The wide mix of cultures would be one of the reasons why I would love living in Hawai'i. I have always loved learning about other cultures, and I enjoy living in diverse areas. It is a particularly good place to study Asian cultures too. I have heard that it is a pretty expensive place to live, but as long as the grad program gives me funding I should be alright.

Yes, rats are cute too. I agree that they aren't as exotic as a tiger, dragon, or snake . . . . but most of the others (like pigs and dogs) aren't exotic either. Advantages and disadvantages to all.

You will LOVE Hawaii if you like the diversity. There are a lot of Asians there. A lot of military as well, which will of course give you diversity as far as people from all over the US, which, surprisingly, can be pretty diverse its self. The one thing that helped us financially was because we could shop on the bases, which were cheaper, because we were military. I don't think you will ever regret it.

Yes, there are good and bad with all things. We can't all be so exotic or special, so we have to accept who and what we are.

I actually stopped by Hawai'i for the first time a few weeks ago enroute to China so that I could check out the grad program there. I absolutely loved it there - the cultural diversity, the Asian influences, the weather, the casual atmosphere, the easy availability of pescetarian food, proximity to the ocean, great public transportation, the grad program, the library, the small campus that felt like a community, etc etc etc. From time to time I find places and think "It'd be cool to live here for awhile," but it is very rare that I find a place where I say "I could feel at home here." I am very anxiously awaiting the results of my application^^

Ironically, I actually found some things to be cheaper in Hawai'i than at another potential grad school I visited in Arizona. For example, the school food in Hawai'i was cheaper, had considerable more variety, and tasted better.

I'd bet you will LOVE it there. As long as you don't get island fever you'll be fine.