on being a vegen

It has been about one month since I decided to be a vegetarian. So far I have no cravings for meat, neither am I tempted to eat meat when faced with a table full of meat. :)


I only have one complain and that is the lack of vegetarian food around my office. There is only one food court near my office building which sells vegetarian and its a good 10 mins walk away. Sometimes when its raining or im in a hurry, I will have to settle my meals with the normal chup chye peng (mixed vegetable rice). Usually I will tell the aunties “aunty, im a vegetarian, which of your vegetables got no meat inside one?”


And I always get their reaction is always the same...


Aunty: Har? Why u eat vegetarian? Aiyo, u so skinny le no need to take vegetarian le lah. Must take some meat then you will have strength. U so young dun take vegetarian lah.

me: no lah. I just want to eat more healthily. Not trying to lose weight. Nothing much to lose le anyway.

aunty: orh ok, vegetarian ah. Fish can? U want to try this fish? Very fresh one. Very nice.

me: fish cannot. I only can take vegetables only. no seafood. Which of your veges don’t have meat or seafood inside?

aunty: this one dun have. This one is plain vege fried with dried shrimps.

me: dried shrimps also cannot. Which of your vege don’t have meat, seafood n dried shrimps inside? I want only plain vege.

aunty: a bit dried shrimp oso cannot?

me: cannot.

aunty: ok. This, this, this n this u can eat.


And then I’ll happily choose the dishes out of the few limited options and I’d happily enjoy my meal till im down to my last mouthfuls, and I realised an unidentified looking object which looks suspiciously like a hae bee (dried shrimp).

DAMMIT!
I dun blame the aunties lah cos I know sometimes they also dunno whether the dish has meat or seafood in it as they are not the one cooking.

But what I don’t understand is...

Why do people always associate becoming a vegetarian as wanting to lose weight?

Why do people always have this misconception that no meat = no strength? I have been taking vegetarian for about a month and I don’t feel weak or anything. I still go gym, workout a good 1 hr without fainting. Sometimes when I tad buleh tahan (cannot take it anymore), I will rebuke them: cows also eat grass but cows also so strong. And then flash them my sweetest smile. That usually does the trick.

Why do people always ask me if I can eat fish even after I tell them no meat? Meat does not consist of chicken and pork only, ok.

Why do people still ask me whether I can eat dried shrimps even after I tell them no seafood? Shrimps not seafood meh? The fact that its dried still makes it a seafood lor.


Anyway, if you know any vegetarian stalls in town area let me know okie? Or we can go together as well. Gam siahs. :)