When I first stopped eating meat (which was back in the mid-1980s), most people in my native US had heard the term “vegetarian.” However, they didn’t necessarily fully grasp the concept – as evidenced by the number of times I was asked if I could just pull the chicken out of the soup or would be okay with fish. Eating at restaurants was often a real challenge, and my meals frequently ended up being a combination of side dishes or…
When I headed out of my accommodation here in a small resort community on Sri Lanka’s south coast today, I had no clue where I was going or what I was going to do. I ended up wandering around town for a while before deciding that sipping on a coconut in a beach café was about all I was up for in the midday sun and heat. It was definitely a good call, despite the fact that I’m surrounded by…
Years ago a friend announced that she had a simple resolution for the new year: Eat more cake. Her rationale seemed straightforward. We were living in Germany on a year-long program and knew we had to return to the States in six months. She had become a big fan of both the German style of baking and the tradition of taking a late afternoon “Kaffee und Kuchen” (coffee and cake) break; so why not enjoy them as much as she…
Many moons ago, I found myself still in a job that was well beyond its sell-by date. I was also living in a city that for a variety of reasons was not the best fit for me. I was applying for positions in other countries, but things were not moving quickly enough – and I found myself fantasizing about just turning in my notice and heading out into the world. The question then was where I would go. I spent…