I have come to a conclusion...

I really want to go travelling oneday, Vietnam, Thailand, India, South America, North America and a few other places.

So anyway, Its difficult enough asking if it "has fish or shrimp in it" and getting a straight answer over here, but over in the far east it will be near impossible, so I am afraid I am going to have to leave the veganism and possibly even the vegetarianism back home. I won't eat meat, but I won't worry about all the stock of other meat derivatives, so if there is no vegan or veggie option, I will go with the fish or seafood option.

I have strong morals concerning animal welfare, and this is not my first choice, but I can't go and really experience or even stay healthy when I see these amazing places living on just rice.

I guess I am just having doubts, I mean, as long as I can I will stay vegan, Its fine, I am the weight I want to be and I am healthy, and it makes me feel good, I am living by my principals but if I don't buy the milk then someone else will, as a group we change things, but I am not changing anything by simply being vegan, I go protesting, and I am part of the group of vegans, making up numbers and all that, but am I really changing anything? I hope I am getting my point across!

Can anyone else relate to this?

Thanks

Blessings
xxx

 

I understand where your coming from. I've been a veggi for oh idk 4 years and just the past month i went vegan. I had to come to a fairly quick decision about times we go out for dinner. My man is a strict carnivore and i understand he doesn't always want to eat at a veg restaurant. The places we do end up going, from what I've experienced, have no vegan options. On these rare occasions I will slip back into vegetarianism for the night. Maybe I'm just lieniant now because it is only the beginning of my journey but we'll see as time goes on.

As for your traveling, don't let anything stop you from your experience. You just do w/e you have to do to enjoy your travels and if it means compromising your diet for awhile than so be it.

 

Thanks for replying , yeah im glad im not alone in this, because it is difficult, cutting out what most people see as basic essential food.

I hope you can continue on your vegan journey if you wish to. I've been vegan for almost a year and a half, and it definitely gets easier, you get to know a few tricks.

Blessings
xxx

 

I have a very real allergy to most fish/shellfish so for me this wouldn't me a choice, it would be a life-or-death situation. Perhaps that gives me a different perspective, but I'd start by doing some in-depth research BEFORE traveling. When I travel, (in the states) I always hit the computer ahead of time, googling for "gluten-free Chicago" and "vegan Chicago" (no, I'm not vegan but being lactose intolerant it's easier than finding myself inundated with cheese!) or whichever cities we know we'll be near. Yes, that means that when I travel from Minnesota to Florida, I'm checking out at least a dozen cities between here and there, but when it's that or have an anaphylactic reaction... well, you do what you've gotta. You'd be surprised how many people have already been-there, done-that and then blogged or added their findings to a preexisting list! My mom took a trip last year to England & Ireland, and was able to do the same thing to find out what was recommended for a diabetic lifestyle and found TONS of info. Veganism isn't nearly as uncommon as it used to be, and I'll bet the computer could really help you - provided you're willing to put in quite a bit of time hunting.

Good luck! I'd love to travel someday too... someday after I overcome my paranoia of flying, that is!
love,
mom

 

I haven't experienced the exact same thing with regards to travel, etc., and our views on vegetarianism and its morality may not be exactly the same, but I think we do share the view that you just have to follow your heart as best you can, and that's all you can do. I ate meat for a long time, and I don't regret it - it's just how I was raised and I ate what was available to me. Sometimes, veganism or vegetarianism just isn't practical. I mean, there are people in the world who would starve if they didn't eat meat. They just have to eat what's available. So in my opinion, you should just do the best you can, and if you end up with some animal product in your system, well, you did the best you could, and I don't think it's worth sacrificing travel or beating yourself up when it's just not practical. I assume that you don't walk around wearing a mask so as not to inhale/kill microbes that are in the air, and I assume you still walk on grass, and even if you didn't, harming other living things is simply unavoidable. But you are doing the best you can, and I think that is what really matters. If you travel and have no choice but to eat some animal product or even straight up meat, then that's just the way it is sometimes, and I would never look down on that or think one should feel bad about it.

 

wow, thank you that is actually a really great way of putting it. what you have said has helped so much, very simple, practical advice.

Blessings to you.
xxx