Stuff! A compromise.

So people have asked me, what kinds of things I miss while I am here or things that I can not get easily,in order to send me care packages and such. To be very honest, there are very few that I miss and can simple not do without! There are so many things here that are either close enough to what I would use/eat/buy/find etc back in the States, that I really don't need for much. And so many other things that I can't find when I am in the States that I love so much as well! I think it balances itself out! That being said, there are a few things I have found make life here a little bit easier or that help pull me out of a bad mood, etc. But, when people ask what they can send me, I hate to answer! I really don't like to give people lists of stuff to give me. Yet at the same time, I have been told before that if I do not ever provide answer to that question that I am keeping people from being able to be a blsng.

I have decided a compromise is best. Because I have been asked recently, I figured I would post a blog about the things that I find most useful and then people can always find things on here if they wish to. I find it very awkward to go back and say “Hey, remember you asked if I need anything,..yeah, well now I do!”

Here are some things I will NEVER turn down.

Drink powders/additives. Things like MIO or country time lemonade powders go such a long way to help! Even though drinks here are pretty cheap, it saves me a lot of time and money to be able to make things in my room. Even tea,coffee and kool-aid mix are a great thing to have in my cupboard!

Spices. There are still a lot of spices I can get here, that is true. I could go into ZhenZhou and buy things at the baking store or at Metro....but many of those things come in these HUGE bags that I just don't have the space or money for. And things like garlic powder, cinnamon, basil, nutmeg, and such are all so great to add to my meals and baking, helping me spend less on pre-made stuff and actually be more adventurous in what I can make in my room

Dressing Mixes. I don't eat much salad around here. Though I do try to make some now and then, some of the things for it are pretty hard to come by. The long and short of it is that I do not have a fridge to store something like dressing in, so I can't really have it around. But I brought two packets of Italian dressing with me and I have been using it like a seasoning. I don't really make a dressing so much as add it like a spice to my cooking. Works great! And, if I ever have the stuff around to make a salad, and I can always throw together a dressing as well.

Cheese powder from Mac and Cheese. China doesn't do much cheese. I can add this to instant noodles and some milk and voila I have mac and cheese without having to boil noodles!Also in the past, I have used it in my cooking where I wanted a cheese flavour as well! {Broccoli and cheese?! YUMM!!} During camp, someone left microwave Velveeta mac and cheese. The packets inside were not powder but actually a smooth cheese sauce! It was awesome! {Though, the Velveeta itself would be really too heavy and expensive and the microwave ones are also far too pricey just to send me the tiny cheese pouch!} Pretty much anything that has a cheese type of flavour! Haha

Tuna. Can be a can of tuna, a pouch of tuna, or the tuna and cracker things! It is one of my favourite things! And, and helps with some of the vitamins I cant get in other foods due to some of my allergies!

Beef Jerky My family sent this to me in a package once and I kinda laughed at it a bit. While I ate it every now and then in the States, it wasn't anything I ever would have put on a list that I missed. But then I ate it....and realized that it was just the thing I was needing! Its a familiar taste and something I have yet to find around here

Chocolate. Need I say more? I have found some really good substitutes here, to be honest. It is getting better. But there is still nothing that beats a good ol' bag of chocolate chips or MnM's!!

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Anything home made. And I do mean anything. {Ok, within reason!} This could be food or even a fun craft or something. If it is something I can show off that I have a talented friend, I can probably use it as a good object lesson or as a way of showing creativity etc. Or, if you send me something that is handmade that you do not mind if I do not keep, I have a unique gift to give to a friend or teacher that will help brighten up a day! And if it is food...well, who doesn't like something home made,right?!

Cards No, not a deck of playing cards! If I really needed those I could find them in all manner of stores around here! Pretty, thank you, birthday, get well, thinking of you, encouragement, and even blank greeting cards. While there are a few places I can find a select number of some sort of greeting card and such, it is so nice to have a supply of simple and elegant cards. I brought a box with me and am excited that I am able to hand out cards whenever I want....but I can always use more! During camp I used up a nice amount of them.

Ointments. Triple antibiotic, anti fungal, anti bacterial etc etc. Anything that will help heal, sooth, or protect a cut,scrape, or rash.

Cleaning wipes. My sister brought me a tube of Clorox disinfecting wipes. Again, it wasn't anything I had thought about before, but they have come in handy so many times! I use them to clean all sorts of things in my room!

Hand sanitize. It all works! No matter if it is a non scented germ-x kind of a thing, or a pretty smelling Bath and Body works type, I use them all the time!

Stain stick. Now it may just be that I have not looked hard enough, but I have not yet found something here like a Tide wash and go pen or anything.

Non-USPS items: There are also things that are helpful or 'fun' that do not need to be sent through the mail. Honestly, an email, text,or Skype call are some of the most awesome things! I love it when I get those...and I am not just saying that to make me look cool! But then there are things like Skype credits, text+ credits, and amazon cards that go a long way as well. I can use the Skype and text+ credits to make calls to friends and family, and I can use amazon credits for things like books,text+ credit, and apps.

Like I said, I hate telling people what to send me. I feel selfish! I don't like to tell anyone when I need things because I would rather not bother everyone. Also, again, to be very honest, there is so very little that I truly NEED. Living here is not like living in the wilds of any place, and I am so well taken care of and looked out for! So really, these are not things I am telling anyone they have to send! They are just ideas if you already had the notion to do so! :)