I don’t know why desi-immigrants stop being vegetarians. Heck, I was born in the U.S., and still am a vegetarian.

Tons of reasons: 1. It is far more convienient for be a non-vegetarian in the US. A vegetarian has far more limited chocices in the US than in India. (A US born vegetarian has already adjusted to the lack of choices while growing up.)More food choices — and it is cheaper and healthier to boot. (I land up taking fries, Pizza and other junk food quite often just because there is’nt an appetizing vegetarian option)Easier to blend in. At pot luck, while going out, I often land up beig the odd one out. I like that people are usually very nice and sensitive about this, but I feel uncomfortable at being at the recieving end of so many apologies or seeing hosts go to an extra mile to prepare veg dishes2. Less social pressure to be a vegetarian. There is still a little bit of a taboo about it in India. People try to hide it from their parents, or are least are usually discreet about it, in order to not hurt their feelings. Once they come to the US there is non need to hide anything partly because there are no parents to hide it from.3. Greater chance of accidentally eating non-vegetarian food.Since vegetarianism is not in the culture of US, there is a high chance of food eating non-vegtarian food by mistake. E.g. Vegetable soup based on a meat stock (the same mushroom soup, with the same label, located in the same corner can be vegetarian one day and non-veg the next day), beans cooked in lard, waiter gets the order wrong/ does not understand the order, scumbag multinational foodchain makes a big hullabulla of cooking fries in vegetable oil and secretly adding soylent green or some other meat additives for flavoring, not recognizing that one of the ingredients in the grocery item is actually a meat product, sloppy cook allowing meat to fall in your plate during preparation, etc. It is difficut to catch all these all the time, and this often acts as a gateway to regularly eating non-veg food. Many people feel that once they have tasted non-veg food, that they have already “sinned” and there is no religious reason to continue abstaining from non-veg food. It is also presumably easier to just stop worrying if your food contains meat.4. There are very few pure veg places in the Indian sense. In India even in non-veg places veg and non-veg dishes are often cooked in different vessels, while here a veg burger and a hamburger are usually cooked in the same grill with the same utensils. People often feel that it is hippocrytical to think that your food contains no trace of non-veg food and they might as well go the whole hog.5. Curiosity. People just want to know why their friends are raving about that chicken biryani/sushi/fried fetus/random non-veg dish of the day. ABDs probably face the same probelms and some make the adjustments needed to remain vegetarians while many others don’t. It is the same with DBD’s. The only difference is that ABDs have to face these issues while growing up, and DBD have to face these issues once they come to America

But then those all seem petty reasons to turn into a non-vegetarian. I’ve been here about 8 years lived the “PIGS” life but never once was I inclined to turn into a non-vegetarian. And its not like we’re living in Russia. I guess apart from the subcontinent and perhaps the UK, the US is the best country to live for a vegetarian. With so many desi grocery stores and restaurants, packet/frozen foods and the wonderful chains like trader joes and whole foods, There is just enough vege. choices to shop around for. Ofcourse there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a non-vegetarian but if you ve made a choice of being a vegetarian then I am sure you wont have to starve.. atleast in the US. Where there is a will, there is a way.. so to speak.

I don’t know why desi-immigrants stop being vegetarians. Heck, I was born in the U.S., and still am a vegetarian.

I am also a US born Desi and a vegetarian. I tried veganism but that lasted a grand total of two years and I’d cheat by sneaking a spoon of yogurt once in a while. However, when growing up during the late sixties and seventies, vegetarianism was an alien concept, especially in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. Even the restaurant grilled cheese sandwiches (which was and probably still is, grilled on the same grill as the beef/hamburgers), so it was hard being a pure vegetarian. In middle school, I was called a “veterinarian”.

To this day waiters in restaurants offer me the option of fish and other seafood. Once Mary Tyler Moore, a famous actress, PETA supporter and vegetarian mentioned that she would not eat anything with a face. My father in law asked, “But would she consider something in a burkha?” That has absolutely nothing to do with the post but I thought it was pretty clever & hilarious.) But most people in the US understand the benefits of a healthy balanced meatless diet. (I want to emphasize healthy & balanced because a pound of sugar, a ton of ice cream and fries are also vegetarian.)

Now back to topic, Magness sounds like an elite super athlete and he had to reach that extremely high level of fitness with constant training. His lifestyle/training is not for everyone.

Speaking of the Tamil New Year, what’s the deal with the TN government officially advancing it by three months to coincide with Pongal?

Wow. Totally missed that one, thanks!

I don’t know why desi-immigrants stop being vegetarians. Heck, I was born in the U.S., and still am a vegetarian.

Tons of reasons:

Just to emphasize the point that non-veggie food is a much cheaper option, to give you one perspective, as a DBD ex-grad.student, I can testify that the $1 McD’s chicken sandwiches were a much more appealing option financially on a grad. student paycheck than the $3+ veggie subs and salads available in comparable fast-food joints. Health issues associated with these financial choices are a whole other topic though.

I’d like to hear the opinions of non-Indian Tamil people on this one – does the proposed change of the New Year have astronomical benefits, or is it political posturing?

Happy Tamil New Year, Nayagan!

To the other Tamils here, as well! I, for one, will be enjoying some excellent, Tamil, home cooking tonight.

Happy Tamil New Year, Nayagan!

To you, as well! I celebrated by not sneezing once!

DizzyDesi,

I realize the issue Jagat brought up is a salient one and appreciate the effort you put into the post but it’s not related even tangentially to this post. Please stop at what you’ve written, else the Intern starts knocking…