Taco Bell and Starbucks

I've decided that it's easier to write more short blog posts more often because at the moment I'm sitting with the thought that I haven't written for over a week and now I don't know where to begin because there's so much I can write about. But as usual I have no intention of starting at any logical point. I should also probably let you know that at the moment I'm technically doing my 'office hours' which are the times that we have to set aside as Graduate Assistants so that students can come and ask us for help if they want. Seeing that the class I'm a GA for has no work due for the foreseeable future there's no one here. So I'm sitting on the computer (which has a very blurry screen) instead.

I've just had Taco Bell for the first time. Taco Bell is apparently one of those American fast food 'institutions' like Mc Donalds or Starbucks. We have a Taco Bell Express on campus which sells a limited variety of Americanised Mexican food. Now I have an issue with Mexican food in that I don't eat chilli, red meat or beans (except green beans) which are pretty much the base ingredeients of all Mexican food! Before you ask - Yes, I am fully aware of how fussy I sound and I'm ok with it. I did however manage to find something to eat and had Rancho chicken tacos. At least I think that's what they were called. They were basically taco shells stuffed with slightly spicy chicken pieces, lettuce, cheese and salsa and they were very yum!

I think everyone at the table with me had hysterics when I tried to eat them though. (That was after they'd died with laughter when I wasn't sure what a Taco was in the first place - I was getting them confused with natchos). They come all wrapped up and I managed to unwrap my first taco in such a way that half the contents fell out. The second one was better but not by much! Then a taco shell is hard - like Frito's chips really so when you bite it it goes crunch and falls apart. Well mine did anyway. My ecos friends managed to eat theirs quite elegantly. I think I need some lessons.

Starbucks is another American fast food place that totally confuses me. There are at least 3 on the campus and very possibly more! I walk past one on my way to my classes every day and it always smells so good. Ordering from them is another story - the menu is long to start with what with coffees, coffee alternatives, frappacinos, iced teas and more. Then you can add flavoured syrups to your coffee/tea, have it made with non-fat milk, have cream on it or not and a whole lot of other options! It shouldn't be too much of a problem for me seeing as I don't drink coffee anyway so I could just avoid it all together but then I taste other people's drinks that are really nice! Like today, I tasted a green tea frappacino which tasted like a milkshake and looked like guacamole in a glass. It was really good but I have no clue if that was a standard menu item or not. The other day I had a raspberry mocha which was definitely not on the menu but was also really nice. I think there should be a book - 'Starbucks for Dummies: your guide to ordering at Starbucks'. Then I wouldn't have to feel like such an idiot every time someone asks if I want to go get some Starbucks.