blog 03 assignment: vegetarian, humanitarian

A Filipino vegetarian is unheard of. (it's almost like an urban myth) The majority of our traditional dishes are meat based: Kare-kare (ox-tail), balut (duck fetus), dinuguan (blood stew).  In fact, the few vegetarian restaurants that exist in the Philippines are owned by Buddhists.  

As a tot, my parents tried to trigger my carnivore tendencies by slipping in a slab of pork or beef in my veggie platter.  Over the years, they've given up on this (futile) endeavor.  I don't attribute my vegetarianism to animal-rights or religious beliefs.  I just didn't like the taste.  This boggled just about everyone, not just my parents.  

My last trip to the Philippines was about 10 years ago, summer of '97.  It was my 10th year birthday celebration, the whole block of the neighborhood was decked out in streamers, everyone was invited.  Various dishes were lined up side by side: multi-colored sticky rice cakes, skewered meats marinated with sweet sauce, and Lechon (roasted pig) in the center.  The only vegetable-based dished was coated in a salty shrimp paste.

I sat rooted to the main table with an empty plate in front of me.  Unknowingly, this caused my parents to loose face in front of the invitees.  Abstaining from eating during a celebration can be interpreted as condescension.  Later, I was reprimanded in front of the guests, by my parents.    

Years later, I was told that most of the people invited to the party were street kids and low income families.  I asked my mum, "If you knew that, why not order at least a vegetarian dish, as well?"

"How many impoverished vegetarians do you know?"     

gung-ho little fish

This week is the tipping point for the quarter: an essay, a mid-exam, field report and book report. One slip up and, well, it's going to be messy. In lieu of that, I installed LeechBlock, a self-banning Firefox-add-on for net-procrastinators. (such as yours-truly) In addition, I'm breaking my hiatus on caffeine and will be chugging the stuff till Friday. How much more will I be willing to compromise, I wonder.

nom nom nom: a food post

<-- Happy consumer

I went to Seattle with my family, during the weekend following Chinese New Year.  The Uwajimaya grocery was packed more than usual, it was tighter than an economy class seating.  Oh, but I had fun!  Going to Uwajimaya is the closest thing I have to a family past-time.  Even today, I still retain that childish glee from grocery shopping.  (see smiling mug shot)   

It was a good haul: economy sized bottles of Kirin Milk Tea, Maki Sushi (unfortunately, it's gone now), Hiroshima Manju, seasonal Meltyblend (matcha flavored!), buckwheat soba noodles, naval oranges (the size of two fists), Kusanagi milk sweets and other food stuffs. (geh, I can't believe I forgot to buy tea yokan and onigiri.  I'm an idiot)  The scroll of paper I'm holding was done by a very patient calligraphy master.  Dedicating ones life towards the perfection of one thing is truly admirable.   

community college is a community - ode to EVCC

My fifteen year old self would disown me (if that is even possible) if she knew I was attending a community college.  She wanted to attend MIT, of all places, and study nuclear engineering, of all things.  Like many wide-eyed, ambitious high schoolers, I held the assumption that community colleges were diluted versions of big-wig universities.  Later on, I found out that assumption only held true in terms of tuition cost.  Because of the smaller class sizes, community colleges don't make you feel anonymous. (it gets lonely in a room of 400 people)  The lack of anonymity is what puts the 'community' in community college.  

The college setting, in general, encourages others to act interdependently, a quid pro quo.   Acting interdependently, breaks away from the 'man-is-an-island-unto-himself' mentality that I've built up from my uneventful adolescence.  As the quarter progresses, I've interacted and exchanged insights with a variety of people who sincerely wanted to get something meaningful out of the class.  Performing intrinsically is refreshing. (especially when I'm not being coerced into it)  

Individual circumstances and interests have always clashed with this particular community.  If the course isn't in a year long sequence, at the end of the quarter, that campy cohesion I had during study groups is whittled down to a few tactful nods and waves in a narrow hallway.  I understand that everyone has their own agenda.  I mean, I can't expect an esprit de corp equivalent to the symbiotic relationship between the clownfish and its sea anemone.   

 

Regardless of how finite this community is, I'm glad to have been a part of it.  I've learned invaluable lessons that could not have been accomplished from reclusive contemplation. I can see myself looking back fondly at these past quarters as money well spent. (for once)