Oatmeal just ain't porridge

On my second night here, I went to the supermarket for essential supplies. One of them, of course, was breakfast (the most important meal of the day folks - a cup of coffee just isn't enough!).

The range of cereals on offer was a bit much to absorb in my befuddled, jetlagged state, but I espied a box of oatmeal. "Ah!" think I. "That's just like porridge isn't it? Well that'll do me, I love porridge".

Oatmeal ain't porridge. Porridge has more texture, less glugginess, and, paradoxically, more of a feeling like it's sticking to your ribs and cushioning your body against the demands of the day. The stuff I got sticks to the tongue, yes, but not the ribs. I should have been warned when I read the preparation instructions - just add boiling water. You have to cook porridge for at least 3 minutes before it's ready to eat.

Maybe it's just cause I've never bought easy-to-cook porridge at home, but if this is what all oatmeal is like, it's really not the same thing. Oatmeal is porridge's poor, weak cousin.

P.S. Even wikipedia thinks they're the same thing, however, look at the picture of the "instant oatmeal". Porridge shouldn't be shiny like that. I think there lies my mistake - I'll know better next time. So many traps for foreigners...