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13 Things Venezuelans Miss the Most When They're Abroad

Venezuela
by Ana Liz Omaña Caverzan Jul 28, 2015
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1. People (family and panas)

We Venezuelans are panas, we have camaraderie for life. Wherever we go, we recognize fellow Venezuelans by their hospitality and treat one another as relatives.

2. Tropical fruits

Who doesn’t like a mango for dessert? Or passion fruit juice with your meal? Our fruits are just delicious, plus we can get them in every season of the year for a very very very reasonable price, something difficult in other countries. A couple of dollars is too much for a mango when you’re used to picking them from the tree for free.

3. Perfect weather

Venezuelans are used to tropical weather, and we miss it a lot the moment we have to suffer sub-zero temps. We all know how comfortable and nice is to spend 365 days a year in shorts and flip flops.

4. White cheese — Queso blanco

Every Venezuelan loves to eat empanadas, cachapas, arepas or pabellón criollo, and most of the time we put queso blanco on them. There´s nothing similar. It´s hard, salty and pairs with every dish. Queso blanco make us drool.

5. Beaches

We know we won’t be punctual and we won’t get in the road to the beach at 7am as we planned the night before but we will get there one way or another.

6. Speak Venezuelan

It’s really good to hear our own language in other places in the world, even more if we haven’t heard it for some time. “Esta vaina me tiene arrecho” (I’m really pissed about this) or “esto está depinga” (this is really good), are expresions that only venezuelans understand. You can speak Spanish but you have to know our lingo to not get confused.

7. Hungry Street — Calle del hambre

“Dame un con todo” (give me one with everything), wise words you can use in a perrocalentero (sreet food truck) everywhere in Venezuela. All those salsas you can choose from, the most crappy food truck and your friends are the perfect ingredients to finish a night after party.

8. Snacks and candies — Chucherías

Pirulin or Toronto are some of those candies you can´t replace with another chocolate made candy elsewhere in the world. Platanitos are the undisputed chips with beers in family reunions. We can´t not mention Pepito (chip) or Super Popy. If you dont miss those, you are not venezuelan. Sorry, amigo.

9. Drinking on the beach

If you go to the beach and you don’t drink a negrita (Venzuelan Pilsen beer) you’re wasting your time. We love to relax for a while, and obviously drinking beers with friends is really typical in our country. There’s nothing like a sunrise on Christmas or New Years on the beach to forget the hangover.

10. Cheap gas

We have this wonderful advantage for roadtrips around Venezuela without spending a fortune in gas. We only need money for food and accommodations. Driving a bunch of miles for next to nothing is something we really miss.

11. Bodegas

You can find anything need in a bodega. Any food, candies or snacks, like chicharrones and papitas, or even a cold Coke for a hot afternoon. They are just around the corner, and are always run by your neighbors. We miss this!

12. Drinks

The papelón con limón is our best friend and is like our own ice tea, perfect in any moment and definitely a delicious drink we won’t get in another country. The Colita and the malta are the number one choice to enjoy with empanadas. Yummy!

13. Venezuelan sunsets

They are really beautiful and create special momenst in different places around Venezuela. From Falcón to Anzoátegui, they cheer our souls with bright and warm colors.

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