Nas' horror - fast food experience

There was something that happened during our road trip to our place that I'd like to share with all of you. You see, we were in Sweden for two months, possibly longer; we enjoyed our trip so much that we didn't even count the days. We had been eating swedish meals (and others like Italian) and we realized that their meals were very, very clean. Hard to explain really... you have to be in Sweden to understand what I mean. I assumed that it was the same as in Finland, Norway and Denmark. (Gnarly or Liza, I'd like to hear about your thoughts on this one).

Anyway, we had been on flight for 16 hours from Stockholm, Sweden to LAX, California. We bought some food in Zurich since we didn't want to eat any airline food. Actually, I bought the food in Zurich so that I could overeat as to avoid eating when we arrived since I didn't want to eat any American fast foods/restaurants until we got home. We headed home once we arrived and Nas practically begged me to take her to Wendy's, which was the 'first' fast food that we saw during our drive down the freeway. She was apparently very hungry and unable to ignore her stomach growling while I stayed firmly with my decision to not eat any American fast foods. After few minutes of begging, I gave in and took her to Wendy's. Before I let her out of my jeep, I warned her that it was not a smart move and I also warned her that she'll get sick and she'll puke one or few times. She casted her doubts at my words. There was nothing I could do about it but let her learn her lesson in a hard way. That's only way for any human to learn.

Nas ordered some food and when she took her first bite of the hamburger, she said, "Ugh. Hamburger meat tastes like plastic!" I'm not surprised at all but she refused to let me win or let me say, "I told you so" so she ate all of it. Although, she threw the french fries and other items down in trash since she couldn't stand eating those foods. We went back to my jeep and I made a quick stop at Walgreen's to get a small wastebasket for Nas. I dropped it down on her lap (in the front-passenger seat) and Nas, puzzled, said, "what is it for?". I told her that it was for puking. She raised her eyebrows at me and put it away to the back passenger seat. I shrugged and started the jeep and we drove for approx 35 minutes. Nas told me to stop the jeep immediately and reached for the wastebasket. When I stopped the jeep, Nas opened the door and jumped out to puke in the wastebasket. It took her a while to stop puking and when she made eye contact with me, she said, "I'll never eat those fucking American fast foods ever again! I don't know how I could tolerate them before the trip to Sweden!" I chuckled and handed out the baby wipes for her to wash her mouth. Once she was done she asked me, "How did you know about that?". I explained that I did vomit when I consume Taco Bell's foods when I arrived from Sweden last year so I knew what would happen to you. Nas mumbled and then said, "You know, I hate it when you are always right."

Nas, of course, puked again when we arrived at our place. In fact, the three times as I predicted. She once again commented that she never thought that American food fasts would taste shitty or make her sick until after the Sweden trip. Anyway, I hope she'll be okay sooner or later. Right now, she's sleeping like a baby.

Gnarly, Liza or anyone who had some 'out of America' traveling experiences, do you have similiar problem as Nas and I had? Erik, my good swedish friend & son of multi-billion liberal corporatist who had been traveling to more than 20 countries and he shared the same sentiment as I do about American fast foods & restaurants. It got him sick and made him puke few times when he consumed the American foods from fast foods & restaurants as well. He even implied that America is full of sick people. Heh. Anyway I guess we're not only one who had experiences like that.


Yep, we're back in the states. Finally. But it is just a temporary, I'll go back to Sweden in next 10 - 14 days while Nas will stay here until she graduates (this year is her last one). And she also will move to Sweden with me next summer. It is different topic & story but I'll make a topic & blog entry about it soon. Gnarly, sorry about lack of response... last three days, I was so busy but I'll respond asap. Right now, I need some decent sleep first

To whoever pm'ed me, I'm sorry that I couldn't respond. I'll explain about it someday in one of topics but right now, I'm able to log in so I'll respond whenever I have some free time. G'nite all.

Edited: Oh Gnarly, yes I do have some good news I'll tell you about it soon!

Heh heh, that's quite the experience for Nas. Poor girl! So we'll be neighbors pretty soon, huh?

I remember the first trip back to the states- I avoided the fast food joints, the stench was enough to keep me away. I know it's strange! When I visited some pals in NY, my friends ordered some kind of fried potato sticks from McDonald. I felt they were a bit too queasy for my tastes.. but they weren't too bad. When I was in Oslo for the deaf culture event, I could not finish my McNuggets there. I don't understand how I liked that stuff before. LOL

I've not tried Subway after living in the states, but I'm thinking it won't be so bad since it's supposed to be a bit more healthy and you get to choose what gets to be your sub. And about these moderately priced resturant joints like Friendly and Applebee's.. they'd be a bit different and more tolerable? What do you think?

Boy! Poor Nas! Hope you are feeling better!

Yes, the food products in Finland are clean. No worries about catching something by eating. Example: C noticed that my aunt brought some lettuce (it was actually in a pot-- like a houseplant in a pot, but it is actually just lettuce in a pot of dirt) so he thought, "wow, all-natural lettuce straight from the ground! Gotta have a bite" so he proceeded to rip one leaf and turned to the sink's facuet to wash it. This sight offended my aunt-- "What are you DOING??? Why are you WASHING IT?? It is FINE!" C was like: "um-- I always wash all my foods..." My aunt said: "All foods are FINE even if it is from somebody else's garden! EAT IT, EAT IT!" C stumbled and ended up munching on the leaf (unwashed). He later explained to my aunt about how most of our food products come from Mexico who sometime used sewage to water down. So it is safe to eat wild berries, lettuce, mushrooms (pick the RIGHT mushrooms or you will get some bad trips), et cetera. C still refused to eat blueberries and small strawberries from my uncle's summerhouse-- but at least more for me!

When C and I got back to the states, we didn't eat at any fast food joints. I generally avoid them anyway (remember: we are both vegetarians and McDonalds' salads suck so ... sorry 'Gatsu!). I am trying to remember what was the first thing we ate when we arrived in the states. But it definitely wasn't the junk food. OH OH, yes I remembered-- we ate Mexican food. LOL! Com'on-- we are San Diego natives! For our first breakfast in the states, we went to this nice Mexican restaurant. Not an up-scale place but not your "mom and pop" joint. I ate a burrito with salsa and everything. It was SO good.

Wow Magatsu !! You have a such good predict for her !! Unbelievable !

My experience my flight was stopped in Bombway, India. I had chicken curry and rice in Bombway then flight down to Singapore. I lost my baggages. We stayed overnight in singapore, I started punk all the night. I was passed out with extremley pain in my stomach.

I was on flight from Singapore to Hong Kong, China. I was end up threw up in six bags. I could not stop. I thought, I was dying. I was first time to meet with huge ex boyfriend's family and relatives. Oh gosh, I was fuckin embarrassed. I could not stop threw up.

I was rushing to chineses doctor. He gave me all herb with horrible taste. I could not drink that fucking herb medication. I was so parnanoid to seeing all the stuffs what he smashed leaves, worms, bugs, etc...

I said, oh god help me to drink that herb medication. My ex boyfriend begged me to drink it... I had to close my eyes to drink whole cup.

next day, I was 100% recovery.. chinese medication is awesome !!

Liza said:

I've not tried Subway after living in the states, but I'm thinking it won't be so bad since it's supposed to be a bit more healthy and you get to choose what gets to be your sub. And about these moderately priced resturant joints like Friendly and Applebee's.. they'd be a bit different and more tolerable? What do you think?

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Yeah, I remember when I came back from Germany, and has another major culture shock trying to get acclimisated to American food. Nowadays, I don't find myself cooking much American food, but more likely German or Asian food. I find American food to be quite greasy, but I do negotiate with my friends that if we go to an all-American joint, that I will do it as long as they don't mock me for eating chicken or vegetable salad in a steakhouse or so. If I eat greasy, then I drink litres of water to flush it out of my system.

I'm so used to Asian food now, that I find it hard to eat American food now sometimes. I never realised how heavy it was until I visited my parents recently. Whoa... Potatoes and steak every two or three days. no thanks. Heh.

Same goes for drinking Diet Coke, I can't tolerate the taste of regular coke as it is so sugary and yeechy, but people always are constantly thinking that I am on a diet because Im drinking diet coke. Silly!

I come back from a 3 month stay in Europe. American fast food taste like crap and you have to get used to them again.

Richard

wow, interesting experience.... I never knew about that... Thanks for the tip if any of us go out of country and come back in US... Hope Nas get better soon

Liza said:

So we'll be neighbors pretty soon, huh?

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I gather that we will!

Liza said:

I've not tried Subway after living in the states, but I'm thinking it won't be so bad since it's supposed to be a bit more healthy and you get to choose what gets to be your sub. And about these moderately priced resturant joints like Friendly and Applebee's.. they'd be a bit different and more tolerable? What do you think?

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Ah hmm. I did tried Applebee last year and it got me sick as well. However I did ate some foods at 'high-class' restaurants in southern California and I didn't feel sick. The problem is that we arrived at LAX during late night and many 'good' restaurants are closed. All left are 'no good' or 'lousy' restaurants like Denny's or others. btw, that's just my opinion.


Gnarly, haha funny post. Nas had that same reaction about foods at some of our swedish friends' places as well. But she eventually got used to it since she liked how these foods taste and all.

(remember: we are both vegetarians and McDonalds' salads suck so ... sorry 'Gatsu!)

Heh, I hate McDonald's so I don't mind!


Sabrina, yes it happened to Erik. He shared his stories about his trips in third world countries and China. He had numbers of diarrheas and loosing bowels. He found out that it was due to parasites or worms because of uncleaniness problem in many countries included America. Although, I'm glad that you are okay! I believe I do know how you felt!

Nesmuth said:

I come back from a 3 month stay in Europe. American fast food taste like crap and you have to get used to them again.

Richard

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True but that's something we never want to get used to. If it makes us sick then don't eat it. Well, that's something Nas and I agreed upon.

ONG, no problem and thanks about Nas. I hope that you'll have traveling experiece someday as well. Out of America, that is

Oops, I missed kuifje75's post. Yeah, I agree with you but I do like to eat some American foods like hamburgers and all but as long as it is organic or grass-pastured. It never make me feel sick but American fast foods or 'low-class' restaurants like Denny's would.

wow interesting thread here...

I was not surprised after read your thread here... let me tell you the story.... I feel sorry for your poor dearest Nas, Magastu...

gnarlydorkette, yeah most of people wash and clean the fruit/vegetables/salads with water after buy from stores but in your garden is a different. I still do wash to clean them but not mixed peppers, tomatoes, etc. I only use them to clean with clean tea towel before eat them... Europeans beleive that you will lose some of vitiamins if you wash to clean them with water... Depend if you see dirty on it then clean them.. if no dirty then no neccassary but use with clean tea towel.


Let me tell you story what I had an experience... (Please don´t offend)

Well, I never touch America in my life before... I would like to say something when I had an experience with that comparison.

I´m sure some of you know that I work for US Army caserne. I have try some of American foods. I must admit that I notice that the sugars are add in american foods... its too much on my taste...

I remember when I first move to live in Germany in 1985 and start to work for US Army caserne in January 1986. They served me American sandwiches (white bread). It taste awful and too sweet... which it´s total different as British white bread. Here in Germany don´t have sausagemeats then I can made scottish egg so I asked American co-worker to get sausagemeat from American store for me (Germans are not allow to buy any products from American stores because of US tax unless German married US). Anyway, she got it for me... I was like when I saw sausagemeat which it´s total different from British sausagemeat so I fixed it into Scottish egg... None of us like it... because of much sugar add in sausagemeat. I never buy American foods again... I buy sausagemeats when I´m in England on the vacation.
My British friend suggested me how to do with sausagemeat is buy mince meat then grated them into finely... I took her suggestion and buy it in German stores... it taste too much better... super...
I also remember when my hubby & I went New Year Eve party in 1985 with my American friend and his korean wife at US officer party... Foods are not bad but I notice the taste is too different as Europe. Sugars alway add in every foods...
They told me that they love German eggs and said that German eggs taste much better than US eggs. US eggs taste like fish, they said, also milk, too... Most of Americans never buy milk and eggs in American store but German stores...
American cakes are too different as European cakes. I went to "Thankgiving" party every year where I work because Americans celebrated like this... I like some or not. Sugar are added in most foods...

My American co-workers told me that they prefer Germans foods to American foods that´s why I was not surprised when I read your thread here.

Well we know that America have alots of chemical addivitives in human and pet foods than Europe. Yes, we have some chemical addivitives in human and pet foods to keep it long here in Europe but not alot as in America. We have strict food rights accord healthy law. The preservatives and some chemicals was banned in Germany and other Europe countries.

Check this link

http://www.healthrecipes.com/preservatives_and_additives.htm

Beleive me, I didn't know what TV Dinners is until I found out from other forum and here because we don't have like this here in Germany. Yes, we have canned soups, powder soups etc here but we don't buy them.