Prepare to be Questioned

Last night I put together a salad pack for myself to take to school today. So, I could eat a good salad that would not cost me $6.00 or more.

It was amazing because the pre-made salad area was filled with only meat type salads. There was all types of chicken salads (western chicken, chicken Cesar), but not one plain vegetable salad. The Lady behind the counter had to go scrounge one up. I think they made it on the fly because I was waiting a long time for just a basic vegetable salad.

This incident made me think about how ingrained meat eating is in our society. The thought of having something without meat is completely alien to some people. In one of the workshops, I was with the new tutors and we began talking about vegetarianism, or rather they began questioning me on my diet (they noticed that early I are only fruit for breakfast). I did my best to be upbeat without trying to push my lifestyle on others. Of course, I was asked the same old question “Where do you get your protein?”

My response, “There is protein in everything we eat—it’s the enzymes that we need.” In reflection, my response was a joke and made no sense to this kid unless they have read the books I have blah, blah, blah.

Then a few of the girls to my right sneakered a little at the thought of a vegetarian diet, “That takes a lot of will power.”

My response, “It has nothing to do with willpower it has to do with health. I eat this way to heal my body and preserve the vision that I have in my eyes.”

Then one of the girls ask “isn’t it expensive to eat raw?”

My response, “How expensive is it to buy fruits and vegetables? That’s the cheapest grocery you will buy, but there are the specialty prepackaged raw foods, which are expensive”

One of the new tutors asked if I ate egg. This was the question that led to the discussion of male baby chicks, and how they are ground up alive.

Another tutor told me he loves to eat cows. I asked if he could kill a cow. No reply. Then told me he knows how they are killed. I thought knowing and doing are two different things.

Today, I became aware of how I need to be prepared for the questioning. I need to prepare answers to common questions, and to explain in the simplest terms possible what is a diet free of animals products and the concept of raw foods.