CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY

Last month I have announced to my family that I am planning to become vegan, and they all laughed! it hurt a bit, and also it's hard to explain.


To those who don't know what veganism is I hope you research first before you comment on people who are aspiring vegans. 


Here's what they told me, I will have to give up my phone, my computer, electricity, etc. DUH!!
I said I want to be vegan not become Amish! I am not portraying a role, firstly because I am not an actress and second, becoming vegan is not a role it is a lifestyle. Despite them calling me names, or thinking I went mad when I started washing and reusing bottles and jars. When I dried chilies and made my own hot sauce, chili oil, chili paste, chili flakes, they didn't want to use it. I tried to explain to them I am trying to reduce our carbon footprint. I guess they don't know what it meant. But I won't give up! I will keep on trying for now I will start on my self and my son. knowing that we will probably outlive all of them if they continue on their lifestyle keeps me going.


So the other day, I set out to find vegetarian/vegan substitutes in my quest to becoming a vegan. It was all for nothing, for all the 4 major supermarkets in this area does not carry the specialty products for vegans. Even the ingredients I need to make my own vegan food =( so I will stay Pescetarian for a while longer. I have been one for a long time now, living near a farmer's market makes it easy for me to source fresh veggies and fish. As for meat, I am wary of those who does not handle the meat they sell properly so I never bother to check them out. 

Problem is the lack of know-how in the proper handling of raw meat. I just hope someday I can do something about this, to improve the quality of life here in my country. 

So, as I was saying the leading stores here does not carry basic healthy options like whole wheat flour, quinoa, veganaise, egg substitute, tofu without casein, non dairy cheese. For now I will just try to become vegan slowly by lowering my impact on the environment, I have started a compost pit last week and it is growing everyday! I didn't realize we had that much refuse from the kitchen. I am having trouble deciding if I should wait after we have moved to the new house to start my vegetable and herb garden, I'm afraid that they might die in the process of moving (we won't be getting professional movers just the help of some workers from the business). I have bought a few packets of seeds and I'm planning to buy a few sacks of potting soil. I'm planning of using my old 60 liter tub as my garden, I have four of them from when I was in the meat processing business (that's when I became pescetarian when I saw first-hand how they handled the meat from the slaughter house to the Market).

Like most Fil-Chi living here in the Philippines, we are an extended family. Sometimes the parents go to live with their children or sometimes married children decide to stay in the family home, to save on rent or in my case the house is very big for 2 old people to live in. It is quite a challenge to change my family's lifestyle as they are very picky with food. So it's just me, the only pescetarian in this house. My father eats a variety of food but he never eat dairy. My mother and sister rarely eat at home mostly ready made meals at work. My son eats mostly what I make for him, but he eats the same things my father eat I just add more dairy for him. Like most moms I worry about his nutrition. So for now I will have to just start him on the environment issues. and reducing our households carbon footprint by 2 =) WISH ME LUCK!