Being vegetarian in Bolivia, or why I miss being vegan

So everyone probably knows that I'm a vegan in real life in the USA.  But when I came to Bolivia I decided I had to compromise on that, because heck if people in the US don't know what to feed me, how will people in Bolivia??  (where even vegetarians are fairly uncommon).  So I am now a vegetarian--I eat eggs, cheese, and milk but no red meat, white meat, any other color meat, or fish.  And I'm fine with that....the weird thing is that I still consider myself a vegan, it's like a part of my personality.....just like I'm a runner who's currently not running.  I'm a vegan who's currently....not.  I love empanadas (bread with cheese inside).  I love eating ice cream.  Being vegetarian is way more convenient.

So my main problem with being vegetarian?  Self.  Control.  People always act like as a vegan I have a lot of self control.  Which I suppose I do, in a sense.  But that's also determination to prove wrong all the nay-sayers, and help the planet and save animals from cruelty/death.  Know what REALLY takes self control?  When there's delicious bread in my house here in Bolivia--FRESH bread, baked today, that will go stale unless someone eats it.....so I eat 4-5 rolls every day, even when I'm not hungry.  Or when I walk by the empanada store, and just HAVE to buy one, or two, or three.  (To be fair,  I give them to beggars I pass also.)  Or when I go by the little general store and there is CHOCOLATE, OOOOH I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!! Yeah, none of that happens when I'm a vegan.  I can't just buy whatever food I see, cause it's probably not vegan.  Bread?  Maybe, but who knows?  Empanadas?  No way? Chocolate?  Probably not. When it's a moral issue (animals suffered for me to eat this!), no problemo.  When it's just ME telling myself I'm not really hungry, I don't NEED to eat right now.....No. Self. Control.

And here's the other thing.  When I'm at school, I shop.  Me.  Deciding what to buy.  And I like saving money, so no processed garbage, just fruit and veggies and oatmeal.  So when I get the munchies at 9pm, what's there to eat?  Fruit.  Veggies.  Oatmeal.  If I'm actually hungry, I'll eat something.  If I just have a craving, well TOUGH.  Here, my family shops.  They are awesome and I love them, but WHY DO THEY BUY THE BREAD THAT TASTES SO GOOD??  Potato chips, french fries, cookies.....(I had at least 7 or 8 cookies, in one sitting).  If it wasn't there, I couldn't eat it.   There's my nugget of wisdom through all my rambling:  If you don't want to snarf it all down in one sitting like a starving person eat it, don't buy it.

PS. My Bolivian mama made rice and veggies today and it was TO DIE for.  All Indian style, with some curry.  MMMMMMMM.  I love my mamita!