Do you get Care Packages?

Hi all, I have been wondering this for the longest time.  I've read posts where some of you are missing home so much, some have said they don't hear from friends and family much (my heart breaks).  This is so sad for me to read.  I worry about this happening to me.  We all say no now but I haven't moved over yet.  

The point of this post, is my mom is already planning the care package.  We joke about how heavy its going to be.  lol  So my question is do any of you get care packages from home.  Basically it would be things like twinkies, fluff - do you know it?, books, music you can't find there.  Beauty products like your favorite lipstick etc.  

Thanks.   Karen

Heck yeah!  All the expats I know in real life also get care packages.  Both my mom and my best friend send them to me.  Though they don't usually include food.  It's usually weird stuff like Carmex lip balm -- or some decent headache stuff -- advil, aleve, etc.  *laugh*

And I am frequently sending Dr. Pepper to some friends in France who can't get it.  Oh, that, Orange KitKats and Poptarts.  

LOL Collington...ok I gotta ask...orange kitkats!  What the heck are those?  Sounds yummy.  Are they good?  I'll have to look for those next time I'm over there.  

Phew I'm glad to hear you get the packages.  I never noticed anyone saying that before when they talked of missing things.  

I'm pretty sure they also have orange kit-kats in the US too. I swear I saw them before I left.  They've come out with another flavor -- mint I think?  But I can't get them here.

They're just kit-kats but with a kick of flavor.  :-)  Not bad... though I'll stick with my normal old kit-kats.  :-) Leslie  (my friend living in France) loves them. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled for them!

The only care packages I've ever recieved are from my best friend. My parents said they would before I moved over here, but they are still - after one year - thinking I'm going to up and move back to the States tomorrow, so by sending me care packages it makes it permanent for them. That's my theory as well, and my theory about why a lot of us have family/friends etc who are a lot more comfortable with email, Imstant Messenger, Web Cams etc - but get few real phone calls or snail mail. They've always sent me stuff when I asked though, which has been just as good because then I can be picky about what I want... but they don't do it without complaining about postage first.

Have you gotten the kit kat bites?  They are like half inch squares.  Luckily they don't make huge bags of them.  They are addictive.  

No care packages for me, I'm afraid.   :-/

It's pretty expensive to send anything over that doesn't fit in an envelope, so that's generally the reason.  I did get my mother to send me some ranch dressing mix once, but since that actually *did* come in an envelope, I don't think that really counts.  

My dad kept telling me he was stock piling tortillas and p'nut butter for about six months and then they just never came.  He finally fessed up and said he realised how much it would cost to send over and decided against it.  Ho hum....

Sure is a great idea, especially at first when you really are missing things from home.  However, when people ask me if I want anything, I can never really think of anything I'd really want enough to ask for it.  Maybe the lack of packages has made me just adjust to not having those things or to find substitues.  

Maybe.  

Wish I can see what you mean.  I didn't think of it that way.  Marlespo made lots of sense too.  I think my parents are having fun thinking of sending things.  They have no clue how expensive it is to mail stuff though.  One thing I might like though is my dad is saying he will make screens for my windows.  I haven't seen screens in any windows on any of my visits.  I hate spiders.  So do you think I could start a new trend in the UK?  I'm glad they don't have lots of flying bugs but spiders -eeeeeeeewwwww.  Do you ever wish for screens to keep them out?  lol

To be honest, there are a *lot* fewer bugs here in London where I live than were ever in Tennessee, where I moved from. We don't have screens but there are very few times when I've really wanted them.

However, you can get screens here.  Most of them are the kind you cut to the shape and size of the window and take down when you don't want them up, but they'll do in a pinch....or so I hear!

In my experience, once you get here you'll be amazed at how much your life changes and how many things you get used to  or manage without.  It's all part of the fun!  

I HATE SPIDERS.  Hate them, hate them, hate them.

Found one in my BED the other day.  Big fat one -- big as a two pence piece.  I wouldn't sleep in my bed that night.  And now, before we go to bed, I make Andrew (dh) search for spiders first.  PLEASE start a trend for screens.

I'll have to check out my local DIY store -- I didn't realize I had any alternative.  The one I REALLY want is one for my door -- does anyone know if they have those??

My folks have only sent over a couple of packages since I've been here. One was with our X-mas pressies. They usually send things like tootsie rolls and Excedrine. My sister is coming to visit at the end of July and she'll have a large suitcase filled with stuff for me and to be filled with souvenirs on the way back. I've got a craving for certain kinds of food. Like rootbeer. God I miss that!

And don't even get me started on spiders. Jon is freakishly defensive for them. I freak out to the max, since they terrify me something fierce, he actually picks them up and throws them out the window! Ewww!

We've had a really large one living in our bathroom next to the tub. I've been trying to get at it for a week now and just this morning I found it in the tub next to the drain. I was being kindly and thought it needed a shower.... Jon wasn't pleased.

He actually yelled at me for it! "Just tell me when you see it, I'll get it out the house". Nah, I prefer to drown it thanks.

Have I ever mentioned I live with a freaky hippy vegetarian?  

It's not just a veggie thing, Ashley.  My husband and I have a very similar um..."discussion" when a spider is found in our house.  

Seems to just not be the done thing to kill them here....or so he tries to tell me.  He says it's kind of like us not usually killing a cricket in the house.  We'd just toss it outside.

He also tells me there are no poisonous spiders in the whole of the UK....which may be true but doesn't make me hate them less!  

So like you, I have resigned myself to killing in secret.  

Oh you horrid girls!    You mustn't kill spiders!  You'll make it rain!  Or bring bad luck!  Or something.  If you can't stand them in your house then you should gently carry them outside and deposit them.  If you find one in the bath, the best thing to do is to drape a towel over the bath and leave the room (shutting the door on the way out)  and when you come back later the spider will have disapeared.  

On the subject of care packages though-no, never.  My mom once sent over a pack of blue jello (because I asked her) but that's it.  She does bring me imitation vanilla and hershey's syrup and sometimes seasonal candy when she comes to visit though.  

Terribly sorry -- but death it will remain to be.

My dh and I have an agreement with the spiders -- when we're outside, that's their territory and we won't bother them.  But if they come inside the house that's my territory and they will be killed.  It's not my fault if they don't uphold their end of the bargain!