FOOD - Unexpected Cultural Differences

Food is perhaps the easiest cultural difference to adapt to in any country, and even at home.  Coming to the Philippines I had the general idea that I liked most Filipino foods, but despite some introduction there have still been some surprises.  Here are a few to enumerate: 

1. Rice: Stereotypical, I know.  But it is also true.  Yes, at home we eat more rice than most, and at school my friends can attest to my large consumption of rice at school.  However, I have possibly eaten more rice in the last three weeks than I ate in the last three months.  It is not unusual to eat rice with every meal.  Including breakfast.  I generally don't eat rice for breakfast, but if I were to eat a "full" breakfast instead of a roll on my way out the door, rice and eggs would be acceptable. Lunch and dinner are both generally rice and meat.  KFC - comes with rice instead of a biscuit.  McDonalds - you can order your burger with rice. It is not uncommon for restaurants to serve unlimited rice.  Rice is also not really considered a component of the meal.  In the states, one generally has A starch with a meal: pasta, rice, potatoes, OR bread.  Here it would not be strange to order fries to go with your rice and hamburger, or even better, with your pasta.  Granted, I love rice - and its not likely that I will get sick of it, but it is definitely different to consume rice and pasta in one sitting.
2. Spoons: Sitting down for a family dinner of fried pork chops and rice - the utensils set out are a spoon and a fork.  No knife.  Cutting is done with the side of the spoon.  Knives are used for cooking, or for spreading things like butter - on occasion - but that can be done with a spoon too.  I generally end up only eating with a fork; I am fairly inept at using a spoon.  This is made more difficult by my next point:
3.  Hands: Finger foods are non-existent.  Burgers are perhaps the one exception.  Pizza is not, nor is fried chicken.  I think this is because living in the city generally causes one to touch a lot of unsavory things, money and public transportation for instance, but it is nonetheless difficult to eat KFC with a fork and spoon.  I suggest you try it.
4. Cheese: This is also nonexistent except in forms mechanically extruded or of the Kraft singles variety.  Alas, the Philippines is not particularly known for its dairy.  Oh well, I will live without cheese for the summer.
5. Vegetables: There are not a lot of vegetables, and generally they must be cooked thoroughly, as in fried in order to be eaten safely.  
6. Fruit: All things difficult or lacking are made up for in that fruit is sweeter and is of a grater abundance. Bananas, mangoes, papaya, lychee, jackfruit I could go on forever.  
7. Fried Chicken:  Fried chicken, especially of the colonel's variety, is particularly prevalent.  I think the Philippines may out eat the American south in per capita fried chicken.  I was surprised how prevalent this particular food was.