[nycfem]

Sometimes I feel like when I'm not on my own turf (e.g. not staying in my own home for a weekend or out with people or at some event), it's so much harder to be veg. When I'm at home and in my normal routine, being veg feels beyond easy and satisfying! It feels divine! But suddenly when out of that situation, especially for prolonged periods, suddenly it feels so hard! It helps me to keep with me snacks that don't need refrigeration (nuts, fruit, dried edamame, PB packets, whole grain crackers, etc.). Eating every few hours helps not to compound the frustration of being out of one's element with gnawing hunger. If I am going to be somewhere new geographically, I look up on the net (e.g. happy cow, I think it's called) where the veg/health groceries are and the restaurants. I make a plan if I can. For instance, at the Reunion in Arkansas I set up a plan beforehand for going to a veg dim sum restaurant which ended up being fabulous. It can also be hard in situations of being away with with people who don't understand it or feel hostile towards it. You kind of have to prepare yourself for how you are going to deal with questions, ignorance, stupid jokes, aggressive jokes, forceful comments, etc. In a wonderful book, The Politics of Meat, Carol Adams smartly, I think, advises that it is not a good idea to discuss veg issues at the table- that people are more defensive, and that it's better to deflect and change the subject and if you choose to engage someone who is trying to do so, wait until they are not sitting with a plate of meat and you with veggies. I also find that it is most helpful to let people know ahead of time so that I get a sense of how friendly and veg accommodating they are or not. Also, sometimes people like to do little things to make their space more veg friendly for you. They might ask how they can be of help and I think it's good to say and not to say, "Oh, don't worry about me." If they are asking, then they care. Also, if you tell them ahead, then if the people tend to be boundary breakers (for instance, family often falls into this category for me), then I can tell them ahead that I don't want to discuss the issue and that jokes about my beliefs are not acceptable to me.