Oh Oscar....you always know what I'm thinking.

"Any place you love is the world to you"

The Catherine Wheel from The Remarkable Rocket by Oscar Wilde

So one thing that every immigrant or expatriate must get used to, and which sometimes proves to be difficult, is not being able to find his or her preferred products from his or her specific corner of the world.

For me, living in Peru, I actually haven't had too many products that I was attached to so much that I actually lamented not having them. Actually, come to think of it, living in Trujillo, I have access to so many things, and as globalization continues to strengthen its influence, I find myself not missing much. From Starbucks, to US brands of snacks, drinks, and even toiletries, to dunkin donuts, a cinnamon roll place and what I'm almost convinced is going to be a Bubble Tea store once it opens in the mall, I sometimes forget that I am living in what is officially considered a developing country.

I've had a fair share of luck too with the products that I have actually missed from the states being food items that I end up finding recipes for on the internet. Bagels...check. Tortillas...check. Pumpkin Pies...check. Well, you get the idea.

The point is, I haven't really really missed anything terribly. However, I will tell you one product from the states that I currently am in possession of, but will soon run out of, and thus will soon be mourning the loss of this product.

My friends....I am almost out of....

Toothpaste.

More precisely, Tom's of Maine Natural Toothpaste.


I love this toothpaste so much, and actually, was well stocked, thanks to an amazing care package my parents sent back in March...yeah they did send me a lot of toothpaste. The reason I like this toothpaste so much is because it has no artificial sweeteners, so when I brush my teeth, I'm not actually putting more sugar into my mouth than I did when I ate that piece of carrot cake I just made.

If you've never used this natural toothpaste, you need to go buy two tubes right now and compare how much sweeter your colgate/crest/whatever popular brand is than Tom's. And then, you should send me the other tube in the mail....please?

The life of an immigrant is difficult sometimes. Sigh.