So I took my first step to moving to Africa I tried meat for time in 10 years of being a Vegetarian - with 2-3 of them being Vegan. Before Vegetarians friends strangle me - hear me out, I don't know what my options are going to be at my site for the next 2 years. My placement officer flat out told me I should strongly consider reintroducing meat into my diet for my assignment and there will most likely be an instance where I will be offered meat as a sign of welcoming. And because I'm a huge nerd I feel like I wont be able to acclimate fully to a culture if I don't experience food culture. So I want my body to be able to handle meat if I HAVE to eat it and I'd rather get used to it here in the US then get sick in the middle of Zambia 100miles away from a doctor.
So what was is like eating meat again? Surprisingly anticlimactic. All meat tastes the same as I remember it which I found weird. Fish is still the best thing ever, chicken is chicken and I still don't love beef that much. As for my getting sick my stomach hates me but I have been taking meds so it more feels like a huge rock in my gut. I'm more morally having issues - I really don't want to eat meat again it feel horribly wrong, I'm trying not to think about it to much and I'm reminding myself its only for 2 years and I may not have to eat it all the time.
My other veggies how are you handling it? Are you planning on staying vegetarian the whole time or are you gonna try to stomach it down?
3 comments:
I've been a vegetarian off and on for the last 10 years, but strictly vegetarian the past 2 years and vegan for almost a year. I'm going to try very hard to stand my ground, and I feel more comfortable/familiar with the culture I'll be joining...so I feel like it'll be easier for me to fit in and explain my choices because I have met plenty of Latin America vegetarians. That being said... if there's a situation that might compromise my job of fitting in some way or other, I'll eat it. I'm not planning on trying it before I leave, though.
Good luck! :)
I'm also trying to re-introduce meat into my diet, but I've only been vegetarian for a year, so it doesn't seem so foreign to me. So far I've only been able to eat chicken and haven't been able to bring myself to try beef or pork, since it does not sound appetizing at all :(
yup....VERY smart. I too was a lacto-ovo vegetarian before i left and in the last month retaught myself to eat meat because pretty much outside the states the only reason people dont eat meat is because they literally dont have any! I live in Monoglia...meat capital of the world and while i avoid it when i can especially as a guy to refuse meat...well that would just be unforgivable. Very smart, get sick in the states as i assure you there are plenty of chances to get sick during service. Good luck!
Josh
PCV M20 Mongolia
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