I Love Being an Expat

There are a lot of things to love about being an Expat - an expatriot being someone living outside their home country. Yes, I am a proud American citizen, but living outside the country carries many benefits. And right now I am sitting in the aula de profesores considering my latest boon -some Thai spice pastes.

One of my fellow Expat teachers - Mike - went on a three week trip to Indochina. Bummer, I was stuck teaching but he managed to break away to wander Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Those places are on my bucket list by the way. I had some extra work to cover while he was gone, and I even let him store his motorcycle at my home in Urdesa.

Mike made it better. Knowing how much I like to cook, he picked up some curry and spice mixes while away. I absolutely love doctoring up some shrimp or chicken with some good flavors, so now I have some real MADE IN THAILAND stuff to make some food go off into some to directions. So here I am in Ecuador, where the seafood is as fresh as can be, and I have some neat That stuff to do them up proud.

True, these are not the type of products the Thai themselves would use as is, they are mostly made for an Australian export market, but not something you would normally find in the States. I have some cardamon pods just itching to be thrown into a skillet with these bad boys.

Okay Mike, I forgive you for leaving me behind.

And boy, it is moments like this when I dearly love being an Expat.