MacDo

Or, “Why the French all Think that all Americans are Fat.”

People of America, I have an announcement: the children of France are being indoctrinated. They are being indoctrinated that Americans are fat, junk-food-loving people who are out for world domination through the means of McDonald's restaurants. Every class that I've been in has had a “junk food” unit. Every class that I've been in has talked about the obesity epidemic in the United States. Perhaps this is the way for the French to turn their young people against their fantasies of moving to America and embracing American “culture.” Perhaps. Whatever the reason, these French children all think that we are fat.

I think they have a point, though. I am an American. I love French food. It. Is. So. Good. But I can't help it: I often find myself wishing I could eat a juicy, fattening, All-American burger. Maybe it's because I don't often buy myself meat, maybe it's because we talk about it almost every day in school, but I will crave McDonald's. I mean, I watched Super-Size Me, and I came away from it wanting to go buy a burger – that's the opposite effect that film is supposed to have on the viewer. Fail, Sandra... fail.

The biggest thing I do miss though, is being able to buy any size soda for a dollar, and then having unlimited refills. I don't know how many times I would stop by the restaurant or the drive-through at home or on a road trip and just order a dollar Diet Coke (without ice – it's cold anyway and you get more pop without the ice). To my knowledge, French fast-food restaurants (except KFC, which is not in my town) don't offer free refills. And their “medium” is smaller yet more expensive than our small. And Coca Light is NOT the same thing as Diet Coke. It tastes funny.

I don't know what to do with myself.

Update: All week I've been looking forwards to going to “Quick” in Grenoble as I think it is better than MacDo, but it is not available in my town. Like, every time I was about to do something unhealthy, I thought, “No, I'm treating myself to fast food this week.”

I ordered a chicken sandwich and a salad. What the heck. Where's the beef, Sandra? Where's the beef??

(Also: I wrote this blog two months ago. I have no idea why I never posted it.)