studying abroad in méxico

[iammicah]

hey everybody

Comments

[hi_im_kelsi]

i had a friend who went from vegan to meat eater when he started traveling around the country. the first thing he was given was sausage, he said it didnt make him sick. but if i even get any meat flavoring, i get really sick. i think it depends on your stomach. i was actually talking about this with some meat eater friends, they asked if i ever wanted to eat meat again, how would i go back to eating it. and i said that i would start with milk and eggs first. then maybe fish, or some sort of meat flavoring, like soup with beef broth. nothing too major. good luck! that fucking great though that youre going down there to work with those groups. maybe youll meet some vegans and be able to go back to veganism!

[iammicah]

hey, thanks for your advice! i really appreciate it. it didn't occur to me to start with milk and eggs, for some reason--i'll definitely do that. ugh. the thought of eating sausage makes me fel sick already. ever read the jungle by upton sinclair? again, thanks for your advice.

[hi_im_kelsi]

no but the jungle is definitely on my list of 'you havent read that book yet?? get on that shit!'

yeah eating meat is fucking gross. but. i mean. if you have to, you have to, its your choice dude. : )

[verygwen]

I've always found that chicken and eggs are easy on my stomach when transitioning back to eating meat. Whereas cow is harder on my stomach. Small amounts, small, well-chewed bites.. these things should help with the transition. :)

And, for what it's worth, your decision makes perfect sense to me.

[tino_bambino]

Hi, I think what you described sounds like a plan, maybe try and go one at a time (ie dairy, then once you're used to that, eggs, etc or something). I don't think it would be too difficult to be vegan or just strict vegetarian in a place like Mexico, especially if you're staying with a poorer family since beans and such are cheaper than milk and meat and eggs (unless maybe they keep animals to provide those things). But obviously your health comes first, so if you feel like you aren't getting enough without those things, by all means do what you can to stay healthy. The only thing I'd be worried about is how their animals are kept/slaughtered....they probably have much less stringent laws around animal welfare. Have a good time anyway!

[iammicah]

thanks for the comment. i've been to méxico twice and stayed vegan both times, but this time i will be staying with indigenous families who will raise most of their animals (and other foods, i think) in their own communities. the only things there are to eat are what the families give me, and from what my friends who have done the program have said, oftentimes they only give you meat. i think you're right about the animal laws, but hopefully i won't be eating much meat that wasn't raised in the communities/villages i'll be staying in.

[communistcow]

Hi. Sorry people are giving you a hard time, I don't think that's very nice. I understand your concern and I've often thought about what I'll do if I end up studying or working in another country after I graduate. Other than offering a little empathy, I just wanted to say that in a program like that, there are probably bound to be some other vegetarians and it may be alright for you to avoid meat but eat eggs and dairy. If you prefer to eat meat while you're down there, you certainly should but there also might be solidarity in numbers, in which case they might be making a bunch of veg meals for a group. Hope it goes well, that sounds like a really neat program!

[kari_louise]

get out of this community if you want help not being vegan. why dont you try asking for hep being vegan in a foreign country before decisiong to throw away 6 years. everything youve stood for and worked so hard for 6 years is going to be crap now, everyone will cal you a hypocrite and if you ever go back to vegan people wi just augh at you "sure just another phase". read vegan freak it might help you.

[iammicah]

i feel it would be a serious affront to the indigenous people who have opened up their homes to me and have lived the same way, raising and slaughtering their own animals, for thousands of years, if i said, "oh, thanks for opening up your culture to me, but i think i'll only take from it what i feel comfortable with, because i am much more enlightened than you about the treatment of animals." i am not throwing away six years--is the value of veganism only in being a purist? in being able to call yourself a vegan, rather than the animals you've prevented from being eaten? veganism is not about me, it's about animals, so your telling me that i'm throwing away six years because there will be four months of my life when i'm not a vegan is absolutely ridiculous. as far as being called a hypocrite and people laughing at me, a) i don't hang out with people who would do such things--my friends are a little more sensitive and broader-thinking than that, and b) why should i care who's laughing at me? again, these decisions are not being

[kari_louise]

well dear im sure as much as you are eager to learn about their culture they are eager to learn about yours. i know this for a fact, my bro in law spent years in mexico and they were eager and happy to eat american food and learn about our culture. obviously your not going to go there and act like paris hilton and scream about slaughtering a chicken but its not impolite to say no thank you to actually eating it

[blackbyrus]

Why not give her these suggestions without doing it in an insulting manner? And yes, it is insulting to tell her she's throwing 6 years of her life away, that people will laugh at her, that she's a hypocrite and to leave the community. And do you seriously think people giving up their veganism in return for something they feel is more important for a few months drives people away from veganism more than vegans being self-righteous and absolutist?

[pinxie]

I think you could get by just being vegetarian, and you could learn the words for "no meat' and "no lard" for your beans. If, AFTER that, someone gives you meat, well, then, at least you tried. Or "I am allergic to meat, chicken, fish - it makes me throw up" etc. No? Ah, well.

It's hard going to another country being vegan - I know, because I went to the UK from West Coast Canada, and though they are VERY meat-centric I did okay, finding some lovely hippies to guide me. But it's your totally your choice (I don't know what they have in the way of hippies in Mexico), and I'm sure when you come back you'll be vegan again, right?

For dairy products, LACTAID is going to be your best friend.

[iammicah]

yeah, i told everybody "sin carne, por favor" when i was in méxico twice before. but this time, i'm going to be living in indigenous communities where they raise all their own meat, and oftentimes there are literally no other options. and yes, i will definitely be vegan when i get back, and probably for the rest of my life. thanks for your input!