Have you ever wondered, after trying Argentine, Brazilian, American or Australian beef why, oh why, is beef in Europe usually so bad???
Tag Archives: europe
Cansado de Europa
Esta vez en París me pasó algo muy raro. Después de 7 años de este lado del charco, como que me dí cuenta que ya estoy un poco aburrido de Europa Occidental. Gracias a Dios he tenido la oportunidad de conocer casi todos los países entre Alemania y el Océano Atlántico (me faltan Suiza e Irlanda), y la verdad es que ya encuentro pocas cosas que me sorprendan en la “vieja Europa” (¡qué frase tan tonta!).
A lo mejor es pasajero y se me quita. Vamos a ver.
Eurovision random thoughts and results
Serbia won (they got lots of votes not only from the Balkan bloc, with a singer with a great voice, even though her appearance was really weird).
My other favourites in the final were
Georgia (great voice, original song)
Ukraine (hilarious!)
Germany (something original from the Germans).
- Regarding the "Video Postcards from Finland" I actually believe that the best ones were shown in the Semis (even though the Moomin vs. Santa showdown was priceless).
- Even though the "Lordi effect" was in force in the number rock acts in appearance and the "horror themed" acts, it didn't make such a big impact this time around. However, originality still won, in the sense that the only performer that didn't care so much about her looks but had the best voice was voted to the top, not only by her country's neighbours but also by others who appreciated the artistic originality.
- Eurovision is still camp, but it's extremely good at it!
- The Brits still don't get it. And then they complain bitterly because nobody appreciates their efforts.
You know a Champions League match is important
When you can see it in 4 different channels in TV…
Happy Birthday!
It may sound stupid because I'm not even European, but it sure has made my life easier. Easier travelling, comparable prices, GSM roaming
charges going down, meeting Erasmus students, the lack of barriers for my fiancée to join me in Brussels and lower inter-bank fees are some of the little and not so little nice details in which the EU has influenced my life.
I hope it doesn't upset the Finns when I say that one of the reasons that I chose Finland instead of, say, Sweden when I was thinking about studying abroad was that it had already been decided then that it would use the €uro.
Pity very few in Europe actually care.
Kotimaiset lennot
Nykyään on helpompi ja saman hintainen matkustaa Helsingistä Brysseliin kuin Helsingistä Jyväskylään.
Lunar eclipse tonight
There will be a full lunar eclipse tonight, so let’s hope for clear skies. More information from the Beeb.
I’m not an Arab or a Turk, but so what if I were?
I was talking with another person when he made a comment assuming that I was Spanish. When I mentioned I am Mexican, he apologised profusely. I defused it with a comment saying that usually people think in Europe that I’m either Arab or Turk, because it is the truth.
Although there is some people that try to take advantage of the social security system available in this country, I believe they are as hardworking as anybody. I am taking Dutch lessons with them and they’re pretty OK, and I’ve noticed that they have many businesses that even open on Sunday (something almost impossible in these parts).
Of course not all of them are perfect and culture shock for their communities and the host society is not uncommon, but I believe it has to do with people sticking to the labels of “Turk”, “Arab”,
“Flemish” or “Walloon”, instead of noticing that we’re all “Human” with a capital H, regardless of how corny it may sound.
Tex-Mex is not Mexican food!
I bump into this issue from time to time (this photo is from Helsingin Sanomat), so I guess I have to tell my audience about it. The long rant that follows simply boils down to this: Tex-Mex is not Mexican food! The first time I saw hard-shell so-called tacos was in Europe. The only truly Mexican brand of chillies on sale here is “La Costeña”, all others are European or American copycats.
Most of the food on sale in “Mexican” restaurants outside of North America (there are honourable exceptions, but they’re few) is unknown to a Mexican, including such things as burritos (which are only found in Northern Mexico, if at all) or nachos with cheese. Those things to us are like a salmon burger would be to a Finn, or mussels with cheddar to a Belgian.
I don’t deny Tex-Mex can be good food, just please don’t call it Mexican. You have no idea how much you’re missing. The funniest thing is that now in the States you can get proper Mexican food, but in Europe we’re still stuck with the Americanised adaptation (just like the differences between rodeo and charrería).
Europe in the seventies
People very close to me lived in Europe in the seventies (the crazy seventies). It seems that moral attitudes have changed since then, as some of the conducts (especially relating to sexual promiscuity) are something that don’t seem as widespread here as they once were. It is true that the current twenty-somethings are more moralistic than their parents’ generation.
Does it have to do with the rise of AIDS (e.g., it was discovered the year I was born)?