There’s just something about a Coke from the states. Maybe it’s the way they chemically manipulate the drink or maybe it’s the high fructose corn syrup, but the only way I think I can describe it is the taste of some divine spirits’ tears bottled up, literally creating heaven in a bottle. Spain has interesting tastings Cokes. For some reason, maybe soda laws or maybe they think they’re healthy/ better than us, they add real sugar to Coca-Cola. After my first sip of Coke I instantly noticed the difference and immediately regretted coming to Spain. How was one supposed to survive without the great tasting American chemicals? I switched my addiction for Coke with an unhealthy addiction for cafe con letché, the common Spain wake-me-up drink. I would decide to try a Coke weekly and see if it had the flavor I was missing from good old USA, but after the third week and not finding one good Coke I gave up on that dream.

In Portomarín the group of greeners and pilgrims, Aaron, Evan, Nichole, Amber, and I, stumbled into a Supermercado. It was one of those small Supermercados that I have only seen in Spain. They’re the size of a backyard pool and usually only have one island stocked with biscuits and beer, and one old lady running the whole thing. I made my way down the aisle till I stopped where the Coke cans were laid out and pondered whether I should try them again. Then something directly next to them caught my eye; it was a red can with a label that said American Cola in off Coke font. I picked it up thinking it was hilarious but then a rush of longing for America came over me and I felt my self hoping for the teeth eating chemicals of that Coke. So I bought it. And drank it. And it was perfect. It tasted exactly like the ones back home, even though it was not a Coke brand. I wondered how the knock off Safeway brands couldn’t get it to taste that exact. I wondered if it actually tastes that similar or if it was just the length of time tricking me into thinking that was what it tastes like. I started remembering times back home I drank Coke and how little thought I put into that, how it was just a Coke, I could buy it on any corner store or in any vending machine. I thought about how much I craved such a mundane US thing, but how much joy that mundane thing brought me, why couldn’t it bring me this much joy every sip back in the US?

Oh how I love Coke, but I miss home more!