We've found that living abroad entails a few deprivations--mostly minor reminders of America. There remain a few items that make our lives so much easier and more comfortable that we're frequently reminded of how grateful we are to have made these best buys.
1. VPN (virtual private network). How did we live abroad for over 2 years before we finally purchased one! It allows us to mask our location and change it virtually to the U.S. (or a bunch of other places). It allows us to view webpages (barnesandnoble.com) and services (Netflix) that are not available to people with a non-US ISP. Thus, we've been able to watch non-Bollywood movies and the Olympics (thanks CBC and BBC, but not NBC).
2. Couch covers. In a world where EVERYONE has the identical furniture including couches, ours can at least appear to the different than others.
3. Espresso Machine. Have a favorite corner coffee shop that serves espresso, lattes, and mochas? We don't. Even if we did, we'd still be grateful to have an espresso machine to save us from a treacherous drive for some coffee.
4. UPS (uninterruptible power supply). A battery back-up to keep power on the TV, DVD player, and computer during the frequent power fluctuations/outages saves us the agony of losing work on the computer or having to re-start the movie multiple times.
5. Pam. Yes, it's that useful. You try going without cooking spray and see how your baked goods turn out.
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