I've been excited for months now, the prospect of coming to New York City and reconnecting with my closest friends, and training, training, training. For the first week and a half I was here, it was GREAT. I loved seeing my friends, I loved training...most of all I just felt at home.
Then a few days ago, I got injured. Which is something that is inevitable in Capoeira, and for all intensive purposes, it's not that bad. I'm not using crutches, I (fingers crossed) won't need surgery. But it does take me out of the game. And in a place like New York, where you walk everywhere, it takes me out of the experience which is simply; hanging out in New York City. And I've been looking forward to so much. Sad. I had fantasized about this trip, about the places I would eat, the people I would see, the teachers I would train with. It was really all of that expectation that made it hard to accept my reality. I really can't walk very well.
So instead, I decided to come to Jersey, where my cousins are home for the holidays, and relish in car culture for once. I also took advantage of those motorized carts today at Costco AND Target. Who knew they were so necessary? Anyway, it's unfortunate that the city is such a hard place to heal. Although it is super stimulating for my brain socially, it's better that I hide away for a while and focus my thoughts on this here knee.
I'm the typical person, who when they have to pay out of pocket to go see the doctor, I put it off. I've been pouring over the medical advice websites, searching for "treatment knee sprain," or "healing stretched ligaments." The swelling is going down, but my knee is weak on the inside and buckles sometimes.... yikes. It's only the first week though, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will heal. Recently I've heard of community acupuncture places, where they treat multiple people at the same time, and usually have a sliding scale, anywhere from $20-50. Just google community acupuncture and the city you are in and you'll find if there's one near you.
Being injured also gives me a little time to reflect on another injury and the place of Capoeira in my life. I was a little hesitant to tell my mother that I had injured myself yet again. Her advice to me was of course, stop playing Capoeira. But I can't stop. I've been doing it too long to stop. I'm finally to the point where I don't have to think so hard to do it to stop. And it's one of the things that makes me so blissfully happy. I really can't stop.
It has, though, become a smaller part of me life. It has become a healthier part of my life. When I was younger, I probably would have become a lot more depressed, but this time, when it happened, I wasn't SO upset. I was bummed that I couldn't hang out with my friends, and that I had come to New York specifically to train. But....life could be much much worse. And it's given me an opportunity to hang out with my cousins that I haven't seen in a while, and be partially smothered by my very Taiwanese aunt. I was actually touched that she wanted to lecture me on my life path, because actually, it's kind of nice to know that she cares.
So, a few weeks out of my life isn't all that bad, and it reminds me to be versatile in my activities and life choices. Of course I can't wait till I can play Capoeira again, but I also look forward to when I can walk normally, go hiking, run, dance, and swim. I just have to remember to stay strong in mind and in body and hopefully when the next injury comes it won't be so bad.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
How to Quit Your Job and Travel the World
A question that I'm ALWAYS asked, is "Where do you have the money to travel so much, like did you win the lottery? Are you a trust fund baby?" The answer to both of these questions is NO. After I posted about travel tips, a friend of mine asked me about how to finance taking a year off, so I thought I would share some of my thoughts and experiences. Everyone has a different comfort level in terms of how much money we need to feel secure, but maybe what I have to say can help some of you make some plans. I do have to admit, however, one I don't have student loans, and two that I know my parents are in a position to help me if I get into a jam, so knowing that in the background gives me a level of security. However, you can make it work! You probably should just make a little fund that you absolutely do not touch! Only in case of an emergency.
First of all, you have to be ready to quit your job. This freaks a lot of people out. And for those of you who have loans, I can understand that. And unfortunately, I don't have a really great answer for that, except you just have to save more money. However, you can either think about living for the present, or living for the maybe one day distant future where you may not have enough money to pay for your kid's college education. I guess my answer to this is, well, I have the rest of my life to save. With this time off, it's true that I'm spending my savings, but it didn't take me that long to earn them in the first place, and really, you only live life once. It makes sense that it's especially hard to think about doing this in this economy, where people are having a hard time re-entering the work force. For some reason though, and maybe I'm being extremely naive, I'm not too worried about it. I'm not afraid to work in a coffee shop, or to cut back on my spending, or to even hide out on a farm for another year. But I'm at peace with my decision to be jobless because I have faith that things will work out in the end. I guess you can check back with me in few years to see where this philosophy goes!
Once you are comfortable with the idea of being jobless, you have to decide what kind of traveler you are. This is going to determine the amount of money that you need to save in order to travel. I am NOT the kind of traveler who sleeps in hotels, instead, I think of friends that I can stay with in different places around the world. If you are a capoeirista, it's EASY. Just find a group that you want to train with, get in touch with them and go. Chances are, someone will adopt you as a new member of the family and show you the ropes. If you don't play capoeira, then simply think of friends that you can stay with, and offer to pay a bit of rent. That will still be a cheaper option then staying in a hostel or hotel for any length of time. Also, craigslist exists in most cities of the world nowadays, and it's possible to find a reasonable apartment to rent for a few months. In Argentina, I found a studio in the middle of Palermo for $540 a month, which wasn't the cheapest option for Latin America, but kind of amazing to have my own cute little space for a bit and be in the heart of the city. Of course my friend wanted me to stay with her and her family for the entire time, bless her heart. (You are amazing Silvina!) I feel that this attitude is super common of Latin American families; to offer up their homes for long periods of time. Anyway, having a place to stay is key, because most of the money that you spend traveling is to cover housing. Once that is out of the way, your only expenses are food, transportation, and taking your hosts out to dinner!
So, quitting your job and traveling really does take some forethought and some time to SAVE SOME MONEY. I am going to say here, that I am not a huge consumer in normal life. I don't drink, and I spend most of my money on rent, food, capoeira, and my car. It took two years, living in North Carolina (where my rent was about $450 a month) to save enough money to feel comfortable in taking at least a year off, which currently is now about 15 months. The first time I took a year to travel, from fall 2006-spring 2007, it took me about 3 years to save about $10,000. (If you live in a big city it's possible! I was living in New York at the time, and making not that much as a teacher) It didn't quite last me an entire year, and foreign exchange rates were more favorable at that time, so I would suggest saving at least $15,000.
Basically what I'm saying is that you do have to consciously save. Try to cook more at home, cut down on your shopping (although thrift stores are a great way to save money AND be green.... no extra energy expended on making new clothes!), take the public transportation instead of taking a cab, or make your coffee at home with a reusable mug instead of going to Starbucks. If you saved an extra $300 a month, that's $3600 a year, and in 3 years you could have $10,200....that's good at least for 9 months.
The cost of essentials...
1) Health Insurance: This is probably the number one thing that people worry about when you are unemployed. But to make yourself feel better, and what I have, is a high deductible insurance plan. I pay about $70 a month for a $5000 yearly deductible. I really don't want to be out $5000, but if anything major happened, I wouldn't be in huge debt. You can also buy international travel insurance, which about 5 years ago I paid about $130 for 3 months. I would highly recommend this, I have a friend who fell off a balcony recently in Mexico, which included an airlift, who if it weren't for travel insurance would have had to pay out a huge sum of money.
You can also find sliding scale health clinics in the US, although you usually have to wait the whole day! If you are a woman, then check out Planned Parenthood.... they are amazing and usually offer free woman visits for people that have no income!
*Another note about High Deductible Health Insurance plans, make sure to get one where you get open an HSA, and Health Savings Plan. The IRS allows you to put in a little more than $3000 a year tax deductible to pay for medical expenses. It will come in handy at some point.
2) Jump on a friend or family's phone plan. Instead of paying $50-$60 a month for my own phone bill, my father added my line onto his plan, and I only have to pay about $15 a month. Plus, I didn't have to change my number.
3) Phones abroad. I have Verizon Wireless, so I don't have a CIM card. But if you do have another carrier, you can apparently get a new CIM card in whatever country you are in and use your phone there.... I have never done this, and I think there is some type of unlocking that has to happen. Ask someone else! What I have done though, is ask around if anyone has an old cellphone, and then buy a new CIM card, which is usually like $10, and then I have a cell phone to use while I'm there. Super helpful when making plans.
Ways to stretch your money
1) Work on a farm! When you work on farm, you usually don't get paid a lot, if anything at all, but room and board are free and the food is of course, the best you can get. There are a lot of ways to do this, one is through WWOOFING, which stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms. Choose which country you want to go to, you pay about $25 dollars to access a list of farms, and then you just contact the farms and set up visits on your own. I have never actually done this, but I have friends who have and have had great experiences.
I found a farm in California through the ATTRA website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/
2) Do language exchanges when you are abroad. Instead of paying for language lessons, put ads on craigslist that you are interested in doing a language exchange. You can usually find some new friends this way, and you don't have to pay for language lessons.
For me, my travels are soon to end, and I will have to get a job! But throughout the year, something that I had to keep reminding myself was that money comes and goes. I usually tried to be as economical as possible without being cheap! It's hard sometimes not to get caught up in the feeling that you are spending a lot of money, while not making that money back. But it's just part of traveling. Experiences cost money. If you want to eat that amazing meal, or stay in a comfortable place, or go to that capoeira event, there is a cost to that. Either you are willing to pay that expense or you are not, but it's better just to accept it and let that feeling go. It's especially important when it comes to treating friends who have helped you out along the way. It is all extremely worth it in the end.
Happy Travels!
First of all, you have to be ready to quit your job. This freaks a lot of people out. And for those of you who have loans, I can understand that. And unfortunately, I don't have a really great answer for that, except you just have to save more money. However, you can either think about living for the present, or living for the maybe one day distant future where you may not have enough money to pay for your kid's college education. I guess my answer to this is, well, I have the rest of my life to save. With this time off, it's true that I'm spending my savings, but it didn't take me that long to earn them in the first place, and really, you only live life once. It makes sense that it's especially hard to think about doing this in this economy, where people are having a hard time re-entering the work force. For some reason though, and maybe I'm being extremely naive, I'm not too worried about it. I'm not afraid to work in a coffee shop, or to cut back on my spending, or to even hide out on a farm for another year. But I'm at peace with my decision to be jobless because I have faith that things will work out in the end. I guess you can check back with me in few years to see where this philosophy goes!
Once you are comfortable with the idea of being jobless, you have to decide what kind of traveler you are. This is going to determine the amount of money that you need to save in order to travel. I am NOT the kind of traveler who sleeps in hotels, instead, I think of friends that I can stay with in different places around the world. If you are a capoeirista, it's EASY. Just find a group that you want to train with, get in touch with them and go. Chances are, someone will adopt you as a new member of the family and show you the ropes. If you don't play capoeira, then simply think of friends that you can stay with, and offer to pay a bit of rent. That will still be a cheaper option then staying in a hostel or hotel for any length of time. Also, craigslist exists in most cities of the world nowadays, and it's possible to find a reasonable apartment to rent for a few months. In Argentina, I found a studio in the middle of Palermo for $540 a month, which wasn't the cheapest option for Latin America, but kind of amazing to have my own cute little space for a bit and be in the heart of the city. Of course my friend wanted me to stay with her and her family for the entire time, bless her heart. (You are amazing Silvina!) I feel that this attitude is super common of Latin American families; to offer up their homes for long periods of time. Anyway, having a place to stay is key, because most of the money that you spend traveling is to cover housing. Once that is out of the way, your only expenses are food, transportation, and taking your hosts out to dinner!
So, quitting your job and traveling really does take some forethought and some time to SAVE SOME MONEY. I am going to say here, that I am not a huge consumer in normal life. I don't drink, and I spend most of my money on rent, food, capoeira, and my car. It took two years, living in North Carolina (where my rent was about $450 a month) to save enough money to feel comfortable in taking at least a year off, which currently is now about 15 months. The first time I took a year to travel, from fall 2006-spring 2007, it took me about 3 years to save about $10,000. (If you live in a big city it's possible! I was living in New York at the time, and making not that much as a teacher) It didn't quite last me an entire year, and foreign exchange rates were more favorable at that time, so I would suggest saving at least $15,000.
Basically what I'm saying is that you do have to consciously save. Try to cook more at home, cut down on your shopping (although thrift stores are a great way to save money AND be green.... no extra energy expended on making new clothes!), take the public transportation instead of taking a cab, or make your coffee at home with a reusable mug instead of going to Starbucks. If you saved an extra $300 a month, that's $3600 a year, and in 3 years you could have $10,200....that's good at least for 9 months.
The cost of essentials...
1) Health Insurance: This is probably the number one thing that people worry about when you are unemployed. But to make yourself feel better, and what I have, is a high deductible insurance plan. I pay about $70 a month for a $5000 yearly deductible. I really don't want to be out $5000, but if anything major happened, I wouldn't be in huge debt. You can also buy international travel insurance, which about 5 years ago I paid about $130 for 3 months. I would highly recommend this, I have a friend who fell off a balcony recently in Mexico, which included an airlift, who if it weren't for travel insurance would have had to pay out a huge sum of money.
You can also find sliding scale health clinics in the US, although you usually have to wait the whole day! If you are a woman, then check out Planned Parenthood.... they are amazing and usually offer free woman visits for people that have no income!
*Another note about High Deductible Health Insurance plans, make sure to get one where you get open an HSA, and Health Savings Plan. The IRS allows you to put in a little more than $3000 a year tax deductible to pay for medical expenses. It will come in handy at some point.
2) Jump on a friend or family's phone plan. Instead of paying $50-$60 a month for my own phone bill, my father added my line onto his plan, and I only have to pay about $15 a month. Plus, I didn't have to change my number.
3) Phones abroad. I have Verizon Wireless, so I don't have a CIM card. But if you do have another carrier, you can apparently get a new CIM card in whatever country you are in and use your phone there.... I have never done this, and I think there is some type of unlocking that has to happen. Ask someone else! What I have done though, is ask around if anyone has an old cellphone, and then buy a new CIM card, which is usually like $10, and then I have a cell phone to use while I'm there. Super helpful when making plans.
Ways to stretch your money
1) Work on a farm! When you work on farm, you usually don't get paid a lot, if anything at all, but room and board are free and the food is of course, the best you can get. There are a lot of ways to do this, one is through WWOOFING, which stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms. Choose which country you want to go to, you pay about $25 dollars to access a list of farms, and then you just contact the farms and set up visits on your own. I have never actually done this, but I have friends who have and have had great experiences.
I found a farm in California through the ATTRA website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/
2) Do language exchanges when you are abroad. Instead of paying for language lessons, put ads on craigslist that you are interested in doing a language exchange. You can usually find some new friends this way, and you don't have to pay for language lessons.
For me, my travels are soon to end, and I will have to get a job! But throughout the year, something that I had to keep reminding myself was that money comes and goes. I usually tried to be as economical as possible without being cheap! It's hard sometimes not to get caught up in the feeling that you are spending a lot of money, while not making that money back. But it's just part of traveling. Experiences cost money. If you want to eat that amazing meal, or stay in a comfortable place, or go to that capoeira event, there is a cost to that. Either you are willing to pay that expense or you are not, but it's better just to accept it and let that feeling go. It's especially important when it comes to treating friends who have helped you out along the way. It is all extremely worth it in the end.
Happy Travels!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Papa Chang's Brief History of Taiwan
Read and inform yourself about the History of Taiwan, in my father's words (although a few of them are mine!)
Taiwan has been ruled by foreign powers for much of its existence; from Spain to the Dutch, to China, to Japan (50 years), and then now to the Kuomintang Chinese (55 years and counting). When the Chinese started to immigrate to Taiwan over 500 years ago, it was all single young males. They intermarried with native women. Therefore, Taiwanese, (not including the 2 million Chinese who came with Chiang in 1949) have a very high percentage of local aboriginal blood.
In 1895, China lost in the Sino-Japan war. As a result, China gave Korea and Taiwan to Japan as colonies. Taiwan spent 50 years as a colony of Japan, who while a strict ruler, allowed Taiwanese elite to be educated and assimilate into Japanese culture. During this period, the Japanese implemented much of the infrastructure that exists in Taiwan today, including railways and city sewage systems. In 1945 following Japan's loss in World War II, people in Taiwan were glad to return to the “Mother Land." However, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and Chiang Kai-Shek were extremely corrupt, and they ruled Taiwan with the same brutality that they had ruled China. In 1947, on February 28, the infamous “2-28 Incident” began. Here the native Taiwanese rebelled against the KMT. It is said the KMT massacred approximately 20,000 Taiwanese in several months time, mostly educated and political elite. It was the Taiwanese against the Chinese. The 2-28 Incident had a profound effect on Taiwan and it continues to influence the relationship between Chinese mainlanders (who came to the island with the KMT) and Taiwanese natives to this day, similar to the the sentiments that the Chinese had against the Japanese regarding the Nanking massacre. (A great book about this is called The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang)
In 1949, the KMT were driven out of China by the communists and they fled to Taiwan. KMT then declared a martial law which lasted 38 years finally ending in 1987 (it was the longest period of martial law in any history). The KMT ruled by force and secret police, who were as ruthless as the Nazis. In 1950 the Korean War broke out and Truman decided to protect Taiwan from the Chinese communists. This saved the corrupted KMT government in Taiwan. However, the native Taiwanese were treated as 2nd class citizens and even today this mentality still exists in Taiwan.
The Chang family realizes that our history and blood line are different from the Chinese. Most of us now consider ourselves as Taiwanese. It might sound strange, but when I (my father) grew up, it was considered taboo to intermarry between Taiwanese and Chinese.
Today, Taiwan is a separate, democratic country. Whatever democracy we enjoy in Taiwan today was fought for long and hard by people who considered themselves none other than Taiwanese. Due to China's influence, we are NOT recognized as a country, do not have a seat in the United Nations, or membership in the WHO, the World Health Organization. Today, we just want the freedom to say who we are, and be proud of our own separate country and the freedom to say that we are a separate people.
Taiwan has been ruled by foreign powers for much of its existence; from Spain to the Dutch, to China, to Japan (50 years), and then now to the Kuomintang Chinese (55 years and counting). When the Chinese started to immigrate to Taiwan over 500 years ago, it was all single young males. They intermarried with native women. Therefore, Taiwanese, (not including the 2 million Chinese who came with Chiang in 1949) have a very high percentage of local aboriginal blood.
In 1895, China lost in the Sino-Japan war. As a result, China gave Korea and Taiwan to Japan as colonies. Taiwan spent 50 years as a colony of Japan, who while a strict ruler, allowed Taiwanese elite to be educated and assimilate into Japanese culture. During this period, the Japanese implemented much of the infrastructure that exists in Taiwan today, including railways and city sewage systems. In 1945 following Japan's loss in World War II, people in Taiwan were glad to return to the “Mother Land." However, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and Chiang Kai-Shek were extremely corrupt, and they ruled Taiwan with the same brutality that they had ruled China. In 1947, on February 28, the infamous “2-28 Incident” began. Here the native Taiwanese rebelled against the KMT. It is said the KMT massacred approximately 20,000 Taiwanese in several months time, mostly educated and political elite. It was the Taiwanese against the Chinese. The 2-28 Incident had a profound effect on Taiwan and it continues to influence the relationship between Chinese mainlanders (who came to the island with the KMT) and Taiwanese natives to this day, similar to the the sentiments that the Chinese had against the Japanese regarding the Nanking massacre. (A great book about this is called The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang)
In 1949, the KMT were driven out of China by the communists and they fled to Taiwan. KMT then declared a martial law which lasted 38 years finally ending in 1987 (it was the longest period of martial law in any history). The KMT ruled by force and secret police, who were as ruthless as the Nazis. In 1950 the Korean War broke out and Truman decided to protect Taiwan from the Chinese communists. This saved the corrupted KMT government in Taiwan. However, the native Taiwanese were treated as 2nd class citizens and even today this mentality still exists in Taiwan.
The Chang family realizes that our history and blood line are different from the Chinese. Most of us now consider ourselves as Taiwanese. It might sound strange, but when I (my father) grew up, it was considered taboo to intermarry between Taiwanese and Chinese.
Today, Taiwan is a separate, democratic country. Whatever democracy we enjoy in Taiwan today was fought for long and hard by people who considered themselves none other than Taiwanese. Due to China's influence, we are NOT recognized as a country, do not have a seat in the United Nations, or membership in the WHO, the World Health Organization. Today, we just want the freedom to say who we are, and be proud of our own separate country and the freedom to say that we are a separate people.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Recipes from a Farm Kitchen
Recipes From a Farm Kitchen
Ok, so, I’ve been on this farm, since the middle of April….so that makes it about 3 months since I’ve come to the farm, and I finally had my first visitors. Alia and Scott, Alia whom I’ve known since elementary school, and Scott, her really cool, down to earth husband. It was great to have them here because I love the farm, but its novelty has definitely worn off, At times I find myself not wanting to stay on the farm for the weekend, and instead I’ll drive to some city like San Francisco, or LA, to play capoeira and to socialize. Thus, it has taken visitors to make me realize HOW COOL THIS PLACE IS again. Because, it is really, truly amazing.
Everything we do at the farm is all aimed at one goal, at least for me, and that’s EATING. For the most part, we work in the garden, or in the orchard, or with the animals, all of which eventually make their way to the table. It becomes extremely apparent how high the quality of food is on the farm when I go off to city centers. I’m surrounded by a lot of people that number one, don’t really enjoy eating at the level that I enjoy it, and number two, aren’t as conscious about the kind of food that they eat, or how it’s prepared. For me, and in my life recently, the only goal of every day is to think about that; to watch something grow and ripen, to think about what I want to make for a meal, to harvest around the farm all of the ingredients, and to work preparing a meal, and last of all, eating and sharing it with gusto. It is such a truly satisfying endeavor. I’m scared to think about eating and cooking when the time comes to leave this place.
So, I thought I would share a few recipes of things that we’ve been creating on the farm and have become staples in the meals I often make. A lot of these I’ve gathered from other people on the farm, so thanks Ron, Jenn, Kevin, Liz, Kyle and Linnea for helping with these ideas!
1) Carrot Salad: Shred carrots up in a food processor (or arduously grate carrots) Add: raisins, nuts (pecans and walnuts are good choices), feta or goat cheese, some green herb is nice, dill, green onions, parsley….whatever. Add dressing: yogurt or buttermilk, honey, olive oil, lemon, salt. Mix it all together and done!
2) Beet/Mint salad: Cook beets beforehand, you can steam them in an oven safe dish with a lid. Put the beets in, add about an inch of water, cover them and put them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until you can push a fork through them. Or you can boil them, or roast them, however you want, but this water method is a little quicker, and kind of foil proof. Chill them in the fridge if you have time, but if not that’s ok. Dice them up and toss them with: feta cheese, mint leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt.
3) Make your own granola! It’s super simple, but it’s also labor intensive because you have to be around. Setting a timer will help remind you when to turn it. Burned granola is the worst….
Here’s the recipe that we use on the farm…It’s from the “Horn of the Moon” restaurant cookbook.
Heat oven to 300 degrees F
4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup oil (I like using coconut oil)
Then your choice: add nuts, coconut flakes, anything. I like almonds and coconut flakes.
Raisins are better put in before eating because they tend to burn in the oven. This makes about one cookie sheet worth, I usually double or triple the recipe and spread it out on 2 cookie sheets.
Once you put them in the oven, you have to turn the granola about every 12 minutes or so….it’s done once it’s turned a nice golden brown. Just taste it to see if it’s the right crunchiness for you!
4) Whole Wheat pancakes
This recipe is from The Farmhouse Cookbook.
2 cups whole wheat
1 t baking soda
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 T sugar (I often leave this out)
3 T oil (I like coconut!)
2 1/3 cup buttermilk or YOGURT ( I highly suggest yogurt)
The yogurt makes these pancakes fluffy and delicious every time.And as for toppings, I love making a yogurt and maple syrup dipping sauce. YUM.
5) Cornbread with yogurt!
So…we’ve been making a lot of yogurt on the farm…and we’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING. Here’s a great cornbread recipe from the Stonyfield Farm cookbook.
Heat oven to 400 F
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup butter (or coconut oil)
Again, the yogurt here is MAGIC. And I’ve put coconut flakes into the batter as well.
Mix dry ingredients first, add wet ones, grease pan, bake for about 15-20 minutes…. I’ve also tried this recipe with rice flour instead of wheat…and I would probably bake it for less time, but it still came out pretty good. But I would only do this if you have a gluten allergy, because the wheat makes it much more moist.
5) Cilantro pesto
I had doubts about using cilantro to make pesto because I thought the flavor would be super strong, but it wasn’t. It had a really pleasant herb flavor and tasted amazing. You can basically follow any pesto recipe, I kind of just added things in until I liked the taste.
2 cups cilantro
1 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Nuts (pine, macadamia, walnuts….these are optional)
This you can also freeze in ice cube trays and save. When serving, then add cheese
of your choice.
Ok, so, I’ve been on this farm, since the middle of April….so that makes it about 3 months since I’ve come to the farm, and I finally had my first visitors. Alia and Scott, Alia whom I’ve known since elementary school, and Scott, her really cool, down to earth husband. It was great to have them here because I love the farm, but its novelty has definitely worn off, At times I find myself not wanting to stay on the farm for the weekend, and instead I’ll drive to some city like San Francisco, or LA, to play capoeira and to socialize. Thus, it has taken visitors to make me realize HOW COOL THIS PLACE IS again. Because, it is really, truly amazing.
Everything we do at the farm is all aimed at one goal, at least for me, and that’s EATING. For the most part, we work in the garden, or in the orchard, or with the animals, all of which eventually make their way to the table. It becomes extremely apparent how high the quality of food is on the farm when I go off to city centers. I’m surrounded by a lot of people that number one, don’t really enjoy eating at the level that I enjoy it, and number two, aren’t as conscious about the kind of food that they eat, or how it’s prepared. For me, and in my life recently, the only goal of every day is to think about that; to watch something grow and ripen, to think about what I want to make for a meal, to harvest around the farm all of the ingredients, and to work preparing a meal, and last of all, eating and sharing it with gusto. It is such a truly satisfying endeavor. I’m scared to think about eating and cooking when the time comes to leave this place.
So, I thought I would share a few recipes of things that we’ve been creating on the farm and have become staples in the meals I often make. A lot of these I’ve gathered from other people on the farm, so thanks Ron, Jenn, Kevin, Liz, Kyle and Linnea for helping with these ideas!
1) Carrot Salad: Shred carrots up in a food processor (or arduously grate carrots) Add: raisins, nuts (pecans and walnuts are good choices), feta or goat cheese, some green herb is nice, dill, green onions, parsley….whatever. Add dressing: yogurt or buttermilk, honey, olive oil, lemon, salt. Mix it all together and done!
2) Beet/Mint salad: Cook beets beforehand, you can steam them in an oven safe dish with a lid. Put the beets in, add about an inch of water, cover them and put them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until you can push a fork through them. Or you can boil them, or roast them, however you want, but this water method is a little quicker, and kind of foil proof. Chill them in the fridge if you have time, but if not that’s ok. Dice them up and toss them with: feta cheese, mint leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt.
3) Make your own granola! It’s super simple, but it’s also labor intensive because you have to be around. Setting a timer will help remind you when to turn it. Burned granola is the worst….
Here’s the recipe that we use on the farm…It’s from the “Horn of the Moon” restaurant cookbook.
Heat oven to 300 degrees F
4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup oil (I like using coconut oil)
Then your choice: add nuts, coconut flakes, anything. I like almonds and coconut flakes.
Raisins are better put in before eating because they tend to burn in the oven. This makes about one cookie sheet worth, I usually double or triple the recipe and spread it out on 2 cookie sheets.
Once you put them in the oven, you have to turn the granola about every 12 minutes or so….it’s done once it’s turned a nice golden brown. Just taste it to see if it’s the right crunchiness for you!
4) Whole Wheat pancakes
This recipe is from The Farmhouse Cookbook.
2 cups whole wheat
1 t baking soda
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 T sugar (I often leave this out)
3 T oil (I like coconut!)
2 1/3 cup buttermilk or YOGURT ( I highly suggest yogurt)
The yogurt makes these pancakes fluffy and delicious every time.And as for toppings, I love making a yogurt and maple syrup dipping sauce. YUM.
5) Cornbread with yogurt!
So…we’ve been making a lot of yogurt on the farm…and we’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING. Here’s a great cornbread recipe from the Stonyfield Farm cookbook.
Heat oven to 400 F
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup butter (or coconut oil)
Again, the yogurt here is MAGIC. And I’ve put coconut flakes into the batter as well.
Mix dry ingredients first, add wet ones, grease pan, bake for about 15-20 minutes…. I’ve also tried this recipe with rice flour instead of wheat…and I would probably bake it for less time, but it still came out pretty good. But I would only do this if you have a gluten allergy, because the wheat makes it much more moist.
5) Cilantro pesto
I had doubts about using cilantro to make pesto because I thought the flavor would be super strong, but it wasn’t. It had a really pleasant herb flavor and tasted amazing. You can basically follow any pesto recipe, I kind of just added things in until I liked the taste.
2 cups cilantro
1 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Nuts (pine, macadamia, walnuts….these are optional)
This you can also freeze in ice cube trays and save. When serving, then add cheese
of your choice.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Capoeira...how do I define thee?
So, I've attempted more than once to write about capoeira, and each time I find it extremely difficult. It's an art that makes me feel so many things simultaneously, I often find it hard to cipher out my thoughts into one streamlined vein. I also usually try to write about it after an amazing event, when my endorphins are peaking, and I find my mind is a jumble of capoeira thoughts.
Why don't I start with just talking about capoeira, and why I love it, and we'll see what comes out.
First the energy. When you get capoeiristas into one room, one space, all with the purpose of supporting two people play a game, you have a focus that is unparalleled. What do I mean by a capoeirista? Someone who is trained, in the music, in the traditions of the roda, in the techniques of the movement.... someone who knows how to keep the energy of the roda flowing and is hungry to play themselves. So these capoeiristas, are all giving their full energy, ideally, to the spirit of the roda. You have people playing instruments, singing, clapping hands, keeping the formation of the circle tight. They are also reacting to the games, wiping their brow after a close call, shouting when the game gets heated and technical, or cheering on beautiful acrobatics. I can't think of another art form that is so intensely physical, while being so intensely intimate at the same time.
The movements. The movements feel good. The ginga feels good. It's a way of letting your body go, but within the context of a specific movement. Structure, but with freedom. Which also translates to any movement in capoeira. Structure with freedom. You learn a set vocabulary, but it is up to you when to use it, to flourish it, to bring your own expression into it. You can see similarities among lineages, among groups, but every single person plays in a unique way, and you can find something different to admire in everybody.
Music. If you have ever harmonized with someone, there is a vibration that you can actually hear, when the right notes are hit. Something changes. You can feel the difference that those notes are making in how you feel, in what you do. In capoeira, the music, the vibrations are so intensely important; there is nothing better than hearing the instruments play and letting the chorus of voices lift you up. Then imagine playing capoeira to that music, your body lets go, you are able to get lost in the game and let something completely new and uninhibited come out. We can't forget the importance of the music.
Playing the game. There are so many different types of games out there. Playful, acrobatic, technical, rough, violent, disconnected. I have found myself at one time or another playing, intentionally or not, one of these games. The capoeira game is tricky. Pages upon pages could be written about the game alone. It can also mean something very different to each capoeirista. For me, the kind of game I love, is the one where both players aren't trying to top each other, but they just want to play a fun, technical game. So they are both relaxed, but they aren't afraid of attacking, and they just allow their bodies to react to the movements. You don't think, you just do. These are the moments when I'm amazed at what happens to my own body, and you share something truly special and unique with the other person.
Reflection. In other sports, you don't often get a chance to reflect on the KIND of player you are. You either beat the other person or you don't, or catch the ball or not. In capoeira, you have to think about who you are within the larger context of the community and the KIND of capoeirista that you want to be. You have to think about your game in the relation to another person. How do you react when someone kicks you, when someone tries to humiliate you, when someone wants to play a light and fun game with you? So many times I've remembered my actions and said, "oh...man, I shouldn't of done that," or "why didn't I answer by doing this?" I am still extremely young in capoeira, and even in life. Thus, I'm still trying to figure out the kind of person I want to be, and play according to those definitions.
Of course, there is more I could write about, but I'm satiated for now. Capoeira is an enormous force in my life, and has given me a million things; friends, physical and musical outlets, discipline, ideas to ponder. Capoeira is a platform in which you can continually work to be better, because it shows you how many ways in which you aren't, and at the same time, it shows you that you are a vital part of a community. A community in which all people have the freedom to be who they want, and share a truly genuine experience.
Why don't I start with just talking about capoeira, and why I love it, and we'll see what comes out.
First the energy. When you get capoeiristas into one room, one space, all with the purpose of supporting two people play a game, you have a focus that is unparalleled. What do I mean by a capoeirista? Someone who is trained, in the music, in the traditions of the roda, in the techniques of the movement.... someone who knows how to keep the energy of the roda flowing and is hungry to play themselves. So these capoeiristas, are all giving their full energy, ideally, to the spirit of the roda. You have people playing instruments, singing, clapping hands, keeping the formation of the circle tight. They are also reacting to the games, wiping their brow after a close call, shouting when the game gets heated and technical, or cheering on beautiful acrobatics. I can't think of another art form that is so intensely physical, while being so intensely intimate at the same time.
The movements. The movements feel good. The ginga feels good. It's a way of letting your body go, but within the context of a specific movement. Structure, but with freedom. Which also translates to any movement in capoeira. Structure with freedom. You learn a set vocabulary, but it is up to you when to use it, to flourish it, to bring your own expression into it. You can see similarities among lineages, among groups, but every single person plays in a unique way, and you can find something different to admire in everybody.
Music. If you have ever harmonized with someone, there is a vibration that you can actually hear, when the right notes are hit. Something changes. You can feel the difference that those notes are making in how you feel, in what you do. In capoeira, the music, the vibrations are so intensely important; there is nothing better than hearing the instruments play and letting the chorus of voices lift you up. Then imagine playing capoeira to that music, your body lets go, you are able to get lost in the game and let something completely new and uninhibited come out. We can't forget the importance of the music.
Playing the game. There are so many different types of games out there. Playful, acrobatic, technical, rough, violent, disconnected. I have found myself at one time or another playing, intentionally or not, one of these games. The capoeira game is tricky. Pages upon pages could be written about the game alone. It can also mean something very different to each capoeirista. For me, the kind of game I love, is the one where both players aren't trying to top each other, but they just want to play a fun, technical game. So they are both relaxed, but they aren't afraid of attacking, and they just allow their bodies to react to the movements. You don't think, you just do. These are the moments when I'm amazed at what happens to my own body, and you share something truly special and unique with the other person.
Reflection. In other sports, you don't often get a chance to reflect on the KIND of player you are. You either beat the other person or you don't, or catch the ball or not. In capoeira, you have to think about who you are within the larger context of the community and the KIND of capoeirista that you want to be. You have to think about your game in the relation to another person. How do you react when someone kicks you, when someone tries to humiliate you, when someone wants to play a light and fun game with you? So many times I've remembered my actions and said, "oh...man, I shouldn't of done that," or "why didn't I answer by doing this?" I am still extremely young in capoeira, and even in life. Thus, I'm still trying to figure out the kind of person I want to be, and play according to those definitions.
Of course, there is more I could write about, but I'm satiated for now. Capoeira is an enormous force in my life, and has given me a million things; friends, physical and musical outlets, discipline, ideas to ponder. Capoeira is a platform in which you can continually work to be better, because it shows you how many ways in which you aren't, and at the same time, it shows you that you are a vital part of a community. A community in which all people have the freedom to be who they want, and share a truly genuine experience.
Monday, May 10, 2010
going nowhere
The other day, I had a dream. Usually, my anxiety dreams always involve packing for trips, which considering my nomadic nature, is pretty on point. (When I was teacher, I always dreamed I was late for school.)
I needed to get to the airport, but of course I was late. I also happened to be in this gigantic shopping mall, and of course couldn’t remember where I parked my car. So I was dragging this large green duffel bag all over the place, moving all slow like you do in your dreams, and trying to calm down my mother who kept popping in and out reminding me of the time. To top things off, I was also running in the 400 meter relay in the Olympics! Miraculously, I had somehow won the Olympic trials. But…all I could think of was “Oh no! It’s a relay, so I’m going to be letting other people down when I’m not there!” Then…
I woke up with a start…and sigh. I realized I didn’t have to go ANYWHERE. Whew. It was such a relief. I didn’t have to pack my bags again, or pick up my clothes, or fold up my bed and stack it neatly in the corner of the room. I could go into the kitchen and find the exact thing that I wanted to eat for breakfast. I didn’t have to feel awkward being in someone else’s space, using someone else’s shampoo, or breaking somebody else's glass. These are MY things, and I’m here for a while.
As much as I pride myself on being a flexible and relaxed traveler, there is something so necessary and comforting about having a physical space that is yours. You have the control to let other people in, and you have the power over where you put your things. You know where everything is, because you put it there, and no one else moved it when they were feeling cluttered. It may be messy, but it’s mine.
I’m just glad that I’m staying in one place for a while. And even though I know this isn’t permanent, and will be over by the fall, I am totally savoring every minute, happy that I'm going nowhere.
I needed to get to the airport, but of course I was late. I also happened to be in this gigantic shopping mall, and of course couldn’t remember where I parked my car. So I was dragging this large green duffel bag all over the place, moving all slow like you do in your dreams, and trying to calm down my mother who kept popping in and out reminding me of the time. To top things off, I was also running in the 400 meter relay in the Olympics! Miraculously, I had somehow won the Olympic trials. But…all I could think of was “Oh no! It’s a relay, so I’m going to be letting other people down when I’m not there!” Then…
I woke up with a start…and sigh. I realized I didn’t have to go ANYWHERE. Whew. It was such a relief. I didn’t have to pack my bags again, or pick up my clothes, or fold up my bed and stack it neatly in the corner of the room. I could go into the kitchen and find the exact thing that I wanted to eat for breakfast. I didn’t have to feel awkward being in someone else’s space, using someone else’s shampoo, or breaking somebody else's glass. These are MY things, and I’m here for a while.
As much as I pride myself on being a flexible and relaxed traveler, there is something so necessary and comforting about having a physical space that is yours. You have the control to let other people in, and you have the power over where you put your things. You know where everything is, because you put it there, and no one else moved it when they were feeling cluttered. It may be messy, but it’s mine.
I’m just glad that I’m staying in one place for a while. And even though I know this isn’t permanent, and will be over by the fall, I am totally savoring every minute, happy that I'm going nowhere.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Down on the Farm
So finally, I’m here. On the farm. I’ve been planning to do this since November, when I met the family on my drive down from San Francisco to LA. I found their website on a database of organic farming internships and I was impressed with the organization of the apprenticeship program. I remember driving through the windy oak-lined road and opening their gate to drive up their long driveway. They won me over as soon as I met them, and as I looked out onto the beautiful valley from their house, I totally started imagining myself there.
So far, it’s been pretty amazing. The day that I drove up, I was suffering from a massive caffeine withdrawal headache, but it fell to the background as I met past interns who stopped by to visit and toasted my own arrival. Dinner was a full and tasty meal; different people having a hand in the dishes. Finally, I knew the family was pretty special when they moved all the furniture out of the living room, turned up an ipod mix, and the kids began break dancing.
And this is not even mentioning the food!
Today, for lunch, one of the guys made cheeseburgers. The meat was from a family raised steer named Eddie, (which I just found out is a castrated bull). The bun was baked RIGHT before lunch (some type of ciabatta-esque bun) from flour that was milled (basically ground up from wheat berries) in the garage the day before from wheat that I had gone through and cleaned. Salad, from the garden….arugula and iceberg. Sauteed onions, from the farm. Potatoes, from the farm. Pickled cucumber and asparagus, made at the farm. Pretty much the only things offsite were the cream cheese (that was the only cheese we had in the fridge) and the ketchup.
I mentioned to Ron, the owner of the farm today, about how it’s so amazing that everything here is made from scratch. And his reply was that they have been doing it this way for so long….
“Is there really any other way?” He asks.
What’s funny is that the farm is peppered with food movement and farming books. The ones that talk about evil industrial agriculture and about how the small family farmers don’t have a chance and are dwindling. But I AM ON ONE. And LIVING on one. And WORKING on one. It still blows my own mind. And it’s not just any farm. And it’s not just with any family. It’s a family that has chosen to live a certain way, which is as sustainably as they can, dedicated their lives to doing so, and even going a step further and teaching others in the process. True, they need help working their homestead, but the pure act of inviting people into their home (and they really do open up their home) is truly rare. What has been amazing is also listening to them discuss and ponder how to best work their land. They have an incredible amount of knowledge and a guy here said it well; although farming has been around for ions… no one still has it perfected.
Being here makes it plain that we, normal average Americans, even ones who care so deeply about their quality of food, are so truly divorced from our food production. There are so many steps where things can get added in, where we just don’t know what is going into our food, or how many trucks it was on before we bought it. I feel that I am truly blessed to be able to take time out of my life, and be able to learn so intimately about how food is grown and raised , from vegetable to fruit to animal. Watching plants, from tiny tiny seeds, start sending up miniature shoots is awe inspiring. Feeding little chicks that will one day be my OWN arroz con pollo makes me appreciate that life so much more. I witnessed a chick die the other day, writhing in pain and then eventually becoming limp. I held it for a long time, it was still warm, I couldn’t quite believe that it was actually dead. That we have any control over life is a somewhat strange concept and I’m still wrapping my head around it all.
So far, it’s been pretty amazing. The day that I drove up, I was suffering from a massive caffeine withdrawal headache, but it fell to the background as I met past interns who stopped by to visit and toasted my own arrival. Dinner was a full and tasty meal; different people having a hand in the dishes. Finally, I knew the family was pretty special when they moved all the furniture out of the living room, turned up an ipod mix, and the kids began break dancing.
And this is not even mentioning the food!
Today, for lunch, one of the guys made cheeseburgers. The meat was from a family raised steer named Eddie, (which I just found out is a castrated bull). The bun was baked RIGHT before lunch (some type of ciabatta-esque bun) from flour that was milled (basically ground up from wheat berries) in the garage the day before from wheat that I had gone through and cleaned. Salad, from the garden….arugula and iceberg. Sauteed onions, from the farm. Potatoes, from the farm. Pickled cucumber and asparagus, made at the farm. Pretty much the only things offsite were the cream cheese (that was the only cheese we had in the fridge) and the ketchup.
I mentioned to Ron, the owner of the farm today, about how it’s so amazing that everything here is made from scratch. And his reply was that they have been doing it this way for so long….
“Is there really any other way?” He asks.
What’s funny is that the farm is peppered with food movement and farming books. The ones that talk about evil industrial agriculture and about how the small family farmers don’t have a chance and are dwindling. But I AM ON ONE. And LIVING on one. And WORKING on one. It still blows my own mind. And it’s not just any farm. And it’s not just with any family. It’s a family that has chosen to live a certain way, which is as sustainably as they can, dedicated their lives to doing so, and even going a step further and teaching others in the process. True, they need help working their homestead, but the pure act of inviting people into their home (and they really do open up their home) is truly rare. What has been amazing is also listening to them discuss and ponder how to best work their land. They have an incredible amount of knowledge and a guy here said it well; although farming has been around for ions… no one still has it perfected.
Being here makes it plain that we, normal average Americans, even ones who care so deeply about their quality of food, are so truly divorced from our food production. There are so many steps where things can get added in, where we just don’t know what is going into our food, or how many trucks it was on before we bought it. I feel that I am truly blessed to be able to take time out of my life, and be able to learn so intimately about how food is grown and raised , from vegetable to fruit to animal. Watching plants, from tiny tiny seeds, start sending up miniature shoots is awe inspiring. Feeding little chicks that will one day be my OWN arroz con pollo makes me appreciate that life so much more. I witnessed a chick die the other day, writhing in pain and then eventually becoming limp. I held it for a long time, it was still warm, I couldn’t quite believe that it was actually dead. That we have any control over life is a somewhat strange concept and I’m still wrapping my head around it all.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Travel Tips
So, I've been lucky. I've been able to have different travel opportunities: by myself, with great friends. I want to share what I have learned through trial and error. There are a few things that I always try to travel with, and a few ideas that REALLY help group travel.
For starters, I always try to pack as light as possible. Moving from place to place is a much bigger pain if you are lugging a gigantic suitcase around. Thus, I'm always on the search for pieces of clothing that I can layer, that are versatile, and that are fashionable.
Among my light packing, I always make sure I bring:
1) small travel towel: One of those quick dry travel towels are key. It only has to be the size of a hand towel, a bigger one takes up too much space. If it's wet, you can always hang it on the outside of your back pack or suitcase to dry.
2) two sarongs: At least for girls, a sarong is as multipurpose as you can get. I always take two, one for inside, which I use to cover myself with after I dry myself with my teeny travel towel. I can also use it as a sheet to sleep with if I need it. And the other for outside use, laying on the grass or going to the beach.
3) Tiny gifts: I always load up on little teeny gifts to bring with me, because always during my travels, someone ends up helping me and I want to repay them with a small gesture. Right now I have a stock of earrings (South American countries are loaded with cheap amazing earrings) and in the past I've carried little Asian adornments. Something uniquely from your country is nice and people always appreciate it. (If someone helps me out a LOT, I always try to buy a nice gift and send it to them....it's super important to thank people)
4) foldable duffle bag: It's a great idea to bring one of those bags that fold up nice and tiny. They come in handy when you need an extra bag, and especially when you are traveling back and you need another bag to check in. Japanese and Asian stores are usually a great place to find these, if you ever fly Jet Blue and leave from JFK, there's a great store in the main terminal that sells great travel accessories.
5) wrist wallet: I found these wrist wallets from Sprig that are great! They work really well for when you want to go out dancing and you just want to bring some cash and your ID. And the best thing is no one has an idea that they are a wallet....they run about $15, and people love them, so if you want to bring a couple down as presents, they will surely be appreciated. Here's the website: http://www.sprigsville.com/banjees/detail1.html
6) digital watch: Since I don't have the use of a cell phone all the time when I'm traveling, digital watches are super handy. You can also use the alarm if you need to.
7) Dollar bills: My parents always told me to travel with 1 dollar bills, and I never really believed them, but recently I traveled to Argentina and Costa Rica, where dollars are widely used. They are great for tips, because often times when you get somewhere and you aren't used to the currency exchange yet, you often end up tipping too much or too little at the airport!
Some ideas for group travel
1) Voice expectations for the trip: Make sure everyone is on the same page about what you want to do and the way you want to do.
2) Communication! If something is bothering you, speak up! And the sooner the better. Festering is always a bad idea and when you are stuck in another country, resentments build up quickly.
3) Solo time: It's a good idea to be able to take off when you need to, and make sure you have some alone time. It's always good to experience a little bit on your own, and it makes you appreciate more the time you have with your friends.
4) Kitty/Stash (you can make up your own name for it): This is another Rachel Gerber introduction, who I think got it from someone else....but regardless, it's amazing. Instead of taking turns paying for things, start a fund in which everybody puts an equal amount of money and use that to pay for joint expenses. Carry an extra wallet with you, and just add to it as funds are depleted.
5) Put a set dollar amount of gas into the car each time. Instead of completely filling up the gas tank, we would alternately put in $20 each time. This time the changing of gas prices doesn't complicate the situation.
Ok....I think that's it. When I think of more I'll add to the post, and if you have any, feel free to leave a comment!
Have fun and be safe!
(This post was the idea of my friend Vanessa, but is inspired by my travels with all my friends: Thalita, Pedrita, Molly, Tasha, Rachel, Vanessa, and Lisa...I love you guys!)
For starters, I always try to pack as light as possible. Moving from place to place is a much bigger pain if you are lugging a gigantic suitcase around. Thus, I'm always on the search for pieces of clothing that I can layer, that are versatile, and that are fashionable.
Among my light packing, I always make sure I bring:
1) small travel towel: One of those quick dry travel towels are key. It only has to be the size of a hand towel, a bigger one takes up too much space. If it's wet, you can always hang it on the outside of your back pack or suitcase to dry.
2) two sarongs: At least for girls, a sarong is as multipurpose as you can get. I always take two, one for inside, which I use to cover myself with after I dry myself with my teeny travel towel. I can also use it as a sheet to sleep with if I need it. And the other for outside use, laying on the grass or going to the beach.
3) Tiny gifts: I always load up on little teeny gifts to bring with me, because always during my travels, someone ends up helping me and I want to repay them with a small gesture. Right now I have a stock of earrings (South American countries are loaded with cheap amazing earrings) and in the past I've carried little Asian adornments. Something uniquely from your country is nice and people always appreciate it. (If someone helps me out a LOT, I always try to buy a nice gift and send it to them....it's super important to thank people)
4) foldable duffle bag: It's a great idea to bring one of those bags that fold up nice and tiny. They come in handy when you need an extra bag, and especially when you are traveling back and you need another bag to check in. Japanese and Asian stores are usually a great place to find these, if you ever fly Jet Blue and leave from JFK, there's a great store in the main terminal that sells great travel accessories.
5) wrist wallet: I found these wrist wallets from Sprig that are great! They work really well for when you want to go out dancing and you just want to bring some cash and your ID. And the best thing is no one has an idea that they are a wallet....they run about $15, and people love them, so if you want to bring a couple down as presents, they will surely be appreciated. Here's the website: http://www.sprigsville.com/banjees/detail1.html
6) digital watch: Since I don't have the use of a cell phone all the time when I'm traveling, digital watches are super handy. You can also use the alarm if you need to.
7) Dollar bills: My parents always told me to travel with 1 dollar bills, and I never really believed them, but recently I traveled to Argentina and Costa Rica, where dollars are widely used. They are great for tips, because often times when you get somewhere and you aren't used to the currency exchange yet, you often end up tipping too much or too little at the airport!
Some ideas for group travel
1) Voice expectations for the trip: Make sure everyone is on the same page about what you want to do and the way you want to do.
2) Communication! If something is bothering you, speak up! And the sooner the better. Festering is always a bad idea and when you are stuck in another country, resentments build up quickly.
3) Solo time: It's a good idea to be able to take off when you need to, and make sure you have some alone time. It's always good to experience a little bit on your own, and it makes you appreciate more the time you have with your friends.
4) Kitty/Stash (you can make up your own name for it): This is another Rachel Gerber introduction, who I think got it from someone else....but regardless, it's amazing. Instead of taking turns paying for things, start a fund in which everybody puts an equal amount of money and use that to pay for joint expenses. Carry an extra wallet with you, and just add to it as funds are depleted.
5) Put a set dollar amount of gas into the car each time. Instead of completely filling up the gas tank, we would alternately put in $20 each time. This time the changing of gas prices doesn't complicate the situation.
Ok....I think that's it. When I think of more I'll add to the post, and if you have any, feel free to leave a comment!
Have fun and be safe!
(This post was the idea of my friend Vanessa, but is inspired by my travels with all my friends: Thalita, Pedrita, Molly, Tasha, Rachel, Vanessa, and Lisa...I love you guys!)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Good Eats and Togetherness
For all of you out there that normally don’t have a hand in preparing what you eat, there is something truly special about making your own food and sharing the meal with others. Being presented with a beautiful meal is in itself an occasion, but there is something about being able to nurture someone else with your own creation that is really powerful.
For about 3 months, I was traveling around the US with two great amazing chicas, Lisa and Rachel. The three of us were a force in the kitchen. Not only did we each have kitchen skills, but three happens to be a magical number in meal preparation. While two people prepare and cook the meal, one person relaxes. Then we would switch. Each role is valuable and switching is the key to the equilibrium. It’s taking turns giving and receiving that makes this arrangement work.
I’ve been in other arrangements where I have been the only cook, and it wasn’t as fulfilling somehow. Maybe in someway I didn’t feel taken care of; there was an imbalance. In Ayurveda, they talk about how the consciousness of the cook is absorbed into the food that they are cooking. It’s a large output of energy, so it’s great to experience both sides: putting out your energy, nurturing someone else, and also being nourished... I need to bow my head down to the ground to mothers (hey, or fathers…but really mothers) who are the sole residents of their own kitchens.
Aside from the nurturing aspect, it's a great experience cooking with another person. You look at the ingredients available, which is itself a fun scavenging process. Then, you decide what the menu is and as you cook, each person adds their own special part to the meal. It’s an instant outlet for creativity. I always love too when you get used to cooking with someone and when you are in the kitchen, everything just flows…it’s another form of working meditation.
So, a few days ago, sitting down to a meal with Lisa and Vanessa, I realized how content I felt. Vanessa and I are visiting Rachel and Lisa, who have both moved down to a small surfing town in Costa Rica. Lisa bought shrimp from the seafood truck as it was delivering food to the restaurant next door. She had the great idea to make a shrimp ceviche, which is actually ridiculously easy.
We soaked the shrimp completely covered, which was fresh fresh fresh, in lime juice for about 20 minutes, then added mango, red onion, cilantro, and avocado….Add a little salt at the end. That’s it! We toasted some tortillas and had a beet and carrot salad to finish it out. (We just grated raw beets and carrots, added a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil) It was amazing. It definitely took a little of preparation, but as we all sat down to eat, we all realized that this activity…what we were doing at that moment, sharing a meal that we prepared together, was close to the top of our lists of favorite things to do.
It’s unfortunate that oftentimes, it’s hard to find the time to cook. Since I’ve had time off, thinking about what I’m going to eat has been a major part of my day. It is sad that when we are working, or in school, thinking about what we eat actually takes up such a small part of our day. One of the things that I want to keep in my life is being able to have the time to dedicate to thinking about what I eat. It is so important, and probably the most important thing you can to do keep yourself healthy, besides also exercising.
So, I’ll keep you posted on other incredible meals….. Go make dinner with someone…and have fun!
For about 3 months, I was traveling around the US with two great amazing chicas, Lisa and Rachel. The three of us were a force in the kitchen. Not only did we each have kitchen skills, but three happens to be a magical number in meal preparation. While two people prepare and cook the meal, one person relaxes. Then we would switch. Each role is valuable and switching is the key to the equilibrium. It’s taking turns giving and receiving that makes this arrangement work.
I’ve been in other arrangements where I have been the only cook, and it wasn’t as fulfilling somehow. Maybe in someway I didn’t feel taken care of; there was an imbalance. In Ayurveda, they talk about how the consciousness of the cook is absorbed into the food that they are cooking. It’s a large output of energy, so it’s great to experience both sides: putting out your energy, nurturing someone else, and also being nourished... I need to bow my head down to the ground to mothers (hey, or fathers…but really mothers) who are the sole residents of their own kitchens.
Aside from the nurturing aspect, it's a great experience cooking with another person. You look at the ingredients available, which is itself a fun scavenging process. Then, you decide what the menu is and as you cook, each person adds their own special part to the meal. It’s an instant outlet for creativity. I always love too when you get used to cooking with someone and when you are in the kitchen, everything just flows…it’s another form of working meditation.
So, a few days ago, sitting down to a meal with Lisa and Vanessa, I realized how content I felt. Vanessa and I are visiting Rachel and Lisa, who have both moved down to a small surfing town in Costa Rica. Lisa bought shrimp from the seafood truck as it was delivering food to the restaurant next door. She had the great idea to make a shrimp ceviche, which is actually ridiculously easy.
We soaked the shrimp completely covered, which was fresh fresh fresh, in lime juice for about 20 minutes, then added mango, red onion, cilantro, and avocado….Add a little salt at the end. That’s it! We toasted some tortillas and had a beet and carrot salad to finish it out. (We just grated raw beets and carrots, added a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil) It was amazing. It definitely took a little of preparation, but as we all sat down to eat, we all realized that this activity…what we were doing at that moment, sharing a meal that we prepared together, was close to the top of our lists of favorite things to do.
It’s unfortunate that oftentimes, it’s hard to find the time to cook. Since I’ve had time off, thinking about what I’m going to eat has been a major part of my day. It is sad that when we are working, or in school, thinking about what we eat actually takes up such a small part of our day. One of the things that I want to keep in my life is being able to have the time to dedicate to thinking about what I eat. It is so important, and probably the most important thing you can to do keep yourself healthy, besides also exercising.
So, I’ll keep you posted on other incredible meals….. Go make dinner with someone…and have fun!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Offerings
When you are traveling, it is a constant search for balance. Especially, when you are traveling on the cheap, you have to be ok with where you are sleeping, what you are eating, what you are able to do. It’s a constant challenge, but in the challenge is also the fun. There are a thousand victories every day. Ordering the right thing, scoring a cheap yet awesome place to sleep, finding a dripping apple tree. You have to surrender control, and sometimes you eat what you would otherwise never eat, you do things that you would otherwise never do, and you sometimes just close your eyes and fall asleep.
The thing I love the most about traveling however, is that you find that the world, somehow always manages to take care of you. Someone always offers you a place to sleep, a ride, a meal. It always surprises me how easy it comes to some people. It also makes me feel how selfish I truly am. I don’t know if it has to do with being American, but I have to sometimes remember to be nice. It doesn’t often come naturally to me. I find myself first, thinking of myself and all the crap I have to do, and then thinking, “oh, I should offer to do this for someone, that would be a nice thing to do.”
Throughout all my travels, I’m perpetually amazed at the generosity. For instance when I was in Fortaleza, Brazil in August, someone from Capoeira, who I had only talked with on the phone, came to get me at the airport, and he ended up giving me his room for two weeks while he slept with his two sons in their room.
Or, in San Diego, when the guy who showed us our sublet, ended up bringing over a book of DVD’s, a bike, and then allowed us to crash at his place for two weeks when our sublet ended.
Or, in Buenos Aires, where I’ve been for the last 6 weeks. I emailed this girl Silvina, who I met in passing in Brazil, that I was thinking about coming, and I set off for Argentina with just her address. When I showed up at her house, at 5 in the morning, she put me in a bed, and I stayed with her awesome, amazing family for a week. When I wanted to rent an apartment, she kept insisting that it was not a problem if I stayed for the entire month, and although I decided to rent an apartment in the center of town anyway, she called me practically every day, and has become an amazing friend.
I have a list of other stories such as this, and I’m sure there will be many more along the way.
The question I ask myself is, would I be this quick to befriend a stranger? And the uneasy response, is that it’s not second nature for me to be this way. Now, however, I see the necessity. It’s a hard thing to just cast yourself out there, without strings, unsecured. It felt so amazing that these people reached out, made offers, allowed me to be part of their family.
So, I need to remember to make my own offerings, to as many people I can. I owe the world a lot. I’ve been given a lot of love, and that makes me all the more ready to start giving it back.
The thing I love the most about traveling however, is that you find that the world, somehow always manages to take care of you. Someone always offers you a place to sleep, a ride, a meal. It always surprises me how easy it comes to some people. It also makes me feel how selfish I truly am. I don’t know if it has to do with being American, but I have to sometimes remember to be nice. It doesn’t often come naturally to me. I find myself first, thinking of myself and all the crap I have to do, and then thinking, “oh, I should offer to do this for someone, that would be a nice thing to do.”
Throughout all my travels, I’m perpetually amazed at the generosity. For instance when I was in Fortaleza, Brazil in August, someone from Capoeira, who I had only talked with on the phone, came to get me at the airport, and he ended up giving me his room for two weeks while he slept with his two sons in their room.
Or, in San Diego, when the guy who showed us our sublet, ended up bringing over a book of DVD’s, a bike, and then allowed us to crash at his place for two weeks when our sublet ended.
Or, in Buenos Aires, where I’ve been for the last 6 weeks. I emailed this girl Silvina, who I met in passing in Brazil, that I was thinking about coming, and I set off for Argentina with just her address. When I showed up at her house, at 5 in the morning, she put me in a bed, and I stayed with her awesome, amazing family for a week. When I wanted to rent an apartment, she kept insisting that it was not a problem if I stayed for the entire month, and although I decided to rent an apartment in the center of town anyway, she called me practically every day, and has become an amazing friend.
I have a list of other stories such as this, and I’m sure there will be many more along the way.
The question I ask myself is, would I be this quick to befriend a stranger? And the uneasy response, is that it’s not second nature for me to be this way. Now, however, I see the necessity. It’s a hard thing to just cast yourself out there, without strings, unsecured. It felt so amazing that these people reached out, made offers, allowed me to be part of their family.
So, I need to remember to make my own offerings, to as many people I can. I owe the world a lot. I’ve been given a lot of love, and that makes me all the more ready to start giving it back.
Homeward bound?
I’m on the 3rd flight of the day, heading back to New York City from Buenos Aires. I’ve gotten used to leaving in the middle of the night and spending all day getting from one destination to the next. It still amazes me that we have the technology to move our physical selves through such large spans of land in so little time.
Feeling check. What’s going through my mind right now? Well, people in Argentina kept asking me, where are you going now? Are you going home? It was a difficult question to answer. Because truth being told, I really don’t feel as if I have a home. I’ve been moving around since I was 18, and I haven’t found a place yet that I feel I can label ….home.
It’s almost as hard as the question, “where are you from?” The place where you are from is part of your identity, it’s part of who you are. While Sylvania, Ohio has certainly shaped me, it more helped me to realize who I’m not and where I don’t want to be. Whenever I answer, “Ohio,” I always feel as if it’s not right, that it’s not an adequate answer, but at the same time, it’s true.
It’s also part of the immigrant equation. When my parents decided to live outside of Taiwan, away from their family, they unknowingly created an identity crisis for the next generation. They raised me culturally Taiwanese, in a small American suburb, far away from their own home. Which left me to figure out how much of me was Taiwanese, how much of me was American? More importantly, it left me to question this idea of home. It definitely wasn’t the small Midwestern suburb, where all my friends have since moved, and only my parents reside.
For some people, home is not a question. It’s a given. It’s where your family is, it’s where your friends are, it’s where you were born and where your father and his father were born. But once a generation moves, home becomes something much more fluid. It becomes where you feel comfortable, which in itself can mean so many different things.
For the past few years, I’ve been trying to decide what that means, to feel comfortable.
I moved out of New York, because something about living there was definitely UNcomfortable. I was tired of all the running around, of all the extra steps that you have to think through before you leave the house, or becoming SO guarded about my time and energy. I had an amazing group of friends, an amazing Capoeira group…but, I just wanted a break. So I moved….to North Carolina, a place where I had some roots from college and was definitely a place, for sure, more physically comfortable.
In Durham, I had space, I had time, I had comfort. It was beautiful, there were trees everywhere, and I felt a strong physical connection to the beauty and lifestyle of North Carolina. But, I didn’t have my support system. I didn’t have a possibility to really train capoeira with my own vision. In the two years that I spent there, I didn’t really find the community in which I felt….at home.
So, I left. There were, still are, definite doubts in my head; did I give NC enough time? Will I ever truly be content in one place? What is it that I want in a location? These are questions that run in and out of my mind as I go through my travels this year, and I haven’t necessarily gotten closer to an answer.
I suppose an important thing to keep in mind, is that there is NO perfect place. I have to prioritize what is most important to me and run with that. I keep writing down pros and cons of each place I visit. Really, though, I have a feeling, that in the end, it’s going to come down to some chance that presents itself, some opportunity that I can’t see yet. So, come on opportunity…I’m waiting!
Feeling check. What’s going through my mind right now? Well, people in Argentina kept asking me, where are you going now? Are you going home? It was a difficult question to answer. Because truth being told, I really don’t feel as if I have a home. I’ve been moving around since I was 18, and I haven’t found a place yet that I feel I can label ….home.
It’s almost as hard as the question, “where are you from?” The place where you are from is part of your identity, it’s part of who you are. While Sylvania, Ohio has certainly shaped me, it more helped me to realize who I’m not and where I don’t want to be. Whenever I answer, “Ohio,” I always feel as if it’s not right, that it’s not an adequate answer, but at the same time, it’s true.
It’s also part of the immigrant equation. When my parents decided to live outside of Taiwan, away from their family, they unknowingly created an identity crisis for the next generation. They raised me culturally Taiwanese, in a small American suburb, far away from their own home. Which left me to figure out how much of me was Taiwanese, how much of me was American? More importantly, it left me to question this idea of home. It definitely wasn’t the small Midwestern suburb, where all my friends have since moved, and only my parents reside.
For some people, home is not a question. It’s a given. It’s where your family is, it’s where your friends are, it’s where you were born and where your father and his father were born. But once a generation moves, home becomes something much more fluid. It becomes where you feel comfortable, which in itself can mean so many different things.
For the past few years, I’ve been trying to decide what that means, to feel comfortable.
I moved out of New York, because something about living there was definitely UNcomfortable. I was tired of all the running around, of all the extra steps that you have to think through before you leave the house, or becoming SO guarded about my time and energy. I had an amazing group of friends, an amazing Capoeira group…but, I just wanted a break. So I moved….to North Carolina, a place where I had some roots from college and was definitely a place, for sure, more physically comfortable.
In Durham, I had space, I had time, I had comfort. It was beautiful, there were trees everywhere, and I felt a strong physical connection to the beauty and lifestyle of North Carolina. But, I didn’t have my support system. I didn’t have a possibility to really train capoeira with my own vision. In the two years that I spent there, I didn’t really find the community in which I felt….at home.
So, I left. There were, still are, definite doubts in my head; did I give NC enough time? Will I ever truly be content in one place? What is it that I want in a location? These are questions that run in and out of my mind as I go through my travels this year, and I haven’t necessarily gotten closer to an answer.
I suppose an important thing to keep in mind, is that there is NO perfect place. I have to prioritize what is most important to me and run with that. I keep writing down pros and cons of each place I visit. Really, though, I have a feeling, that in the end, it’s going to come down to some chance that presents itself, some opportunity that I can’t see yet. So, come on opportunity…I’m waiting!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Yumminess
Ok, over the past months of traveling, there have been a few things that I have been eating, with the help of friends of course, that you really have to try.
1) Nori wraps. This is really all Rachel Gerber. If you don’t know her, I’ll introduce you, she’s awesome. Basically, go to any Asian store and buy the big Nori sushi wraps. (You could get them at Whole Foods probably, but they are always more pricy) Then, you can really put anything into them, wrap them up and eat them like a burrito. Seaweed has an amazing amount of minerals, here’s a link if you are interested.
http://www.greenfootsteps.com/seaweed-health.html
But here are some combinations that were amazing... Feel free to add any if you try some more!
a. brown rice, sauteed green veggies (any kind! But I love
kale, beet greens, collards, broccoli...whatever), fried egg.
b. Salmon, rice noodles, green veggies.
c. Quinoa, green veggies, sardines.
*Make sure you wrap them in the nori RIGHT before eating, the nori gets soggy if you let it sit for about 30 seconds!
2) Coconut flakes (or any coconut product really). Coconut is another amazing super food. I’ve been using coconut flakes in EVERYTHING. It all started with watching Jamie, one of Rachel’s friends in Minneapolis, cook kale with coconut flakes. I had already been using coconut oil to cook kale (it leaves an amazing coconut flavor), but Jamie added some soy sauce and coconut flakes and it takes the dish to another level. Pretty soon, I started adding coconut flakes to everything. Soups, veggie stir-fries, oatmeal (Molly Lee showed me that one actually). It adds a really nice texture and kind of meatiness.
3) Delicata Squash and kale with coconut milk.
This is seriously the bomb. You can eat Delicata Squash with the skin on (they are smallish, yellow with green stripes). So cut up the squash and steam it first in a large pot until you can poke through it easily with a fork. In a sauce pan on the side, sauteed some kale with a little bit of garlic and salt. Mix them both together, add a little bit of coconut milk to taste and of course, coconut flakes! Hm.... it’s super yummy comfort food and really incredibly easy to make.
4) Fish tacos
San Diego is the haven for fish tacos, but they are ridiculously easy to make at home and you can make them way more delicious. All you need is tortillas, a fish filet (I’ve made these with frozen Dover Sole from trader joe’s, just tried to look up and see if it’s on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s list of acceptable fish…. Apparently wild caught pacific is ok, but not atlantic caught …I’ll have to check it again next time I’m there…), tomatoes, avocado, lime, cilantro…whatever else you want to add. I find that it’s super easy to just pan fry fish, I prefer using a lot of butter and when it flakes, it’s done. Put all the fixings in a warmed up tortilla (again, I like to use a pan, I’ve read a few things that are against using microwaves, so I generally stay away from them), and eat. Really quick and easy to make for friends to share.
What have you been eating lately that is super yummy and you can make it at home? Leave a comment and share it with the rest of us!
1) Nori wraps. This is really all Rachel Gerber. If you don’t know her, I’ll introduce you, she’s awesome. Basically, go to any Asian store and buy the big Nori sushi wraps. (You could get them at Whole Foods probably, but they are always more pricy) Then, you can really put anything into them, wrap them up and eat them like a burrito. Seaweed has an amazing amount of minerals, here’s a link if you are interested.
http://www.greenfootsteps.com/seaweed-health.html
But here are some combinations that were amazing... Feel free to add any if you try some more!
a. brown rice, sauteed green veggies (any kind! But I love
kale, beet greens, collards, broccoli...whatever), fried egg.
b. Salmon, rice noodles, green veggies.
c. Quinoa, green veggies, sardines.
*Make sure you wrap them in the nori RIGHT before eating, the nori gets soggy if you let it sit for about 30 seconds!
2) Coconut flakes (or any coconut product really). Coconut is another amazing super food. I’ve been using coconut flakes in EVERYTHING. It all started with watching Jamie, one of Rachel’s friends in Minneapolis, cook kale with coconut flakes. I had already been using coconut oil to cook kale (it leaves an amazing coconut flavor), but Jamie added some soy sauce and coconut flakes and it takes the dish to another level. Pretty soon, I started adding coconut flakes to everything. Soups, veggie stir-fries, oatmeal (Molly Lee showed me that one actually). It adds a really nice texture and kind of meatiness.
3) Delicata Squash and kale with coconut milk.
This is seriously the bomb. You can eat Delicata Squash with the skin on (they are smallish, yellow with green stripes). So cut up the squash and steam it first in a large pot until you can poke through it easily with a fork. In a sauce pan on the side, sauteed some kale with a little bit of garlic and salt. Mix them both together, add a little bit of coconut milk to taste and of course, coconut flakes! Hm.... it’s super yummy comfort food and really incredibly easy to make.
4) Fish tacos
San Diego is the haven for fish tacos, but they are ridiculously easy to make at home and you can make them way more delicious. All you need is tortillas, a fish filet (I’ve made these with frozen Dover Sole from trader joe’s, just tried to look up and see if it’s on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s list of acceptable fish…. Apparently wild caught pacific is ok, but not atlantic caught …I’ll have to check it again next time I’m there…), tomatoes, avocado, lime, cilantro…whatever else you want to add. I find that it’s super easy to just pan fry fish, I prefer using a lot of butter and when it flakes, it’s done. Put all the fixings in a warmed up tortilla (again, I like to use a pan, I’ve read a few things that are against using microwaves, so I generally stay away from them), and eat. Really quick and easy to make for friends to share.
What have you been eating lately that is super yummy and you can make it at home? Leave a comment and share it with the rest of us!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Argentina! Beef?
Normally, I don’t eat a lot of steak. If you haven’t read Omnivore’s Dilemma, then you need to do so RIGHT NOW. It gives a great overview about the entire US cattle industry. You learn how cows, who are supposed to be fed on grass, are instead fed corn while packed into feedlots. The corn causes their stomachs to basically have ulcers (because of course they can’t digest corn), which can lead to a whole host of problems. To combat this, we pump them full of antibiotics so that they’ll stay nice and healthy, which in turn creates super bacteria which could one day take us all down… Eating grass fed beef tastes a lot better, has more “good fats,” and you won’t be ingesting all the antibiotics and hormones that tend to be absorbed into the fat.
SO. When I’m in the States, I try to only eat beef that is grass fed. (Except, I have to admit I have a weakness for taco stands.) But it is definitely pricey, so I don’t end up eating a lot of it. Thus, I was excited to come down to Argentina, where they eat the most steak per capita over any other country. And supposedly, it’s all grass fed and the meat is the best in the world. Which is actually what everyone was telling me when I arrived.
I was ready to go to the grocery store and pick up a random package of beef, and feel safe that it came from a farm where the cow had time to graze and be content. However, at the supermarket, I was overwhelmed with the variety of cuts, and just didn’t know all the names in Castellano….so I delayed. And I’m glad I did…for since beef is such the national food, there are a million articles concerning beef in the paper every day. (Which on a side note, I am also finding out that the inflation here is CRAZY. One woman told me that a year ago one kilo of Milanesa, which is a thin slice of beef, cost 10 pesos, and now costs 35 pesos.) With beef being such a central topic, there have inevitably been articles about the beef industry and the changing tides of production.
I first listened to a link to an NPR story that came out in September, 2009.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112767649
And was instantly bummed to hear that the practice of squeezing hundreds of animals into a small space and feeding them grain was spreading to a place where the practices really were pure and idyllic. According to the report, a third of the beef produced in Argentina is now from feedlots. They even use the English word, “feedlot.” They start their cows grazing on grass, and for adult cows ( > 18 months), the last 2 months of their lives are spent confined in feedlots, where hormones and antibiotics are used along with grain feed. It is simply more profitable to finish cattle with grain, and with the economy being what it is, the practice is sure to grow in coming years.
There is of course, debate surrounding this issue. I read an opinion article the other day calling for people to ask at restaurants where their meat was coming from, the pasture or a feedlot. And of course traditionalists are against the homogenization of the product, saying that the flavor is also lacking.
It’s simply sad to learn that a country which had it so right, is quietly, going the other way. With the price of beef being the first concern on everybody’s mind, why wouldn’t they be quick to buy a cheaper beef?
It is also a realization that Argentines as well have to start asking, “where does their food come from?” and “what did they actually put in there?” It’s unfair that anyone has to do this much research to understand what they are putting in their bodies.
This isn’t to say that I haven’t enjoyed my share of steak here. I have a 2/3 chance of getting grass fed, right? I have also enjoyed the tiny dent that ordering a steak in a restaurant makes in my wallet. You can get a good size steak for under $10, in many
cases around $5. However, I feel guilty. It’s the hidden costs that will ultimately bite us all in the behind. It’s the struggle that I always have around food after learning something about where my food comes from. Like learning not to eat bananas because where in the states do we grow bananas? If anyone knows, please tell me! It’s a step by step process…and I’m sure one day, when I have a larger hand in producing what I eat, it won’t be so hard.
If this topic interests you, here are some links where you can find out a little more about the topic in Argentina…they are in Spanish, though, so have your dictionary close by!
This is actually an organization in favor of feedlots in Argentina
http://www.feedlot.com.ar/index.php
Article that is somewhat objective, but seems to favor more traditional methods.
http://www.zoetecnocampo.com/Documentos/termcorr.htm
SO. When I’m in the States, I try to only eat beef that is grass fed. (Except, I have to admit I have a weakness for taco stands.) But it is definitely pricey, so I don’t end up eating a lot of it. Thus, I was excited to come down to Argentina, where they eat the most steak per capita over any other country. And supposedly, it’s all grass fed and the meat is the best in the world. Which is actually what everyone was telling me when I arrived.
I was ready to go to the grocery store and pick up a random package of beef, and feel safe that it came from a farm where the cow had time to graze and be content. However, at the supermarket, I was overwhelmed with the variety of cuts, and just didn’t know all the names in Castellano….so I delayed. And I’m glad I did…for since beef is such the national food, there are a million articles concerning beef in the paper every day. (Which on a side note, I am also finding out that the inflation here is CRAZY. One woman told me that a year ago one kilo of Milanesa, which is a thin slice of beef, cost 10 pesos, and now costs 35 pesos.) With beef being such a central topic, there have inevitably been articles about the beef industry and the changing tides of production.
I first listened to a link to an NPR story that came out in September, 2009.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112767649
And was instantly bummed to hear that the practice of squeezing hundreds of animals into a small space and feeding them grain was spreading to a place where the practices really were pure and idyllic. According to the report, a third of the beef produced in Argentina is now from feedlots. They even use the English word, “feedlot.” They start their cows grazing on grass, and for adult cows ( > 18 months), the last 2 months of their lives are spent confined in feedlots, where hormones and antibiotics are used along with grain feed. It is simply more profitable to finish cattle with grain, and with the economy being what it is, the practice is sure to grow in coming years.
There is of course, debate surrounding this issue. I read an opinion article the other day calling for people to ask at restaurants where their meat was coming from, the pasture or a feedlot. And of course traditionalists are against the homogenization of the product, saying that the flavor is also lacking.
It’s simply sad to learn that a country which had it so right, is quietly, going the other way. With the price of beef being the first concern on everybody’s mind, why wouldn’t they be quick to buy a cheaper beef?
It is also a realization that Argentines as well have to start asking, “where does their food come from?” and “what did they actually put in there?” It’s unfair that anyone has to do this much research to understand what they are putting in their bodies.
This isn’t to say that I haven’t enjoyed my share of steak here. I have a 2/3 chance of getting grass fed, right? I have also enjoyed the tiny dent that ordering a steak in a restaurant makes in my wallet. You can get a good size steak for under $10, in many
cases around $5. However, I feel guilty. It’s the hidden costs that will ultimately bite us all in the behind. It’s the struggle that I always have around food after learning something about where my food comes from. Like learning not to eat bananas because where in the states do we grow bananas? If anyone knows, please tell me! It’s a step by step process…and I’m sure one day, when I have a larger hand in producing what I eat, it won’t be so hard.
If this topic interests you, here are some links where you can find out a little more about the topic in Argentina…they are in Spanish, though, so have your dictionary close by!
This is actually an organization in favor of feedlots in Argentina
http://www.feedlot.com.ar/index.php
Article that is somewhat objective, but seems to favor more traditional methods.
http://www.zoetecnocampo.com/Documentos/termcorr.htm
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Why have I not been blogging?
As I find myself on the 7th month of my travels, I wonder....why have I not been blogging already? I guess part of it was laziness, and another part of it was lack of confidence in the idea that I could eloquently write about my travels and in a way that would spread knowledge about things that were important to me. There have been so many thoughts that have crossed my mind, information that I have wanted to research and share... from composting, to capoeira, to Argentine beef... these are all things in which I have recently experienced and I want to share! What I will try to do, I guess, is backtrack and post about my experiences, which will also incite me to actually research and learn more about everything myself.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Tammy, but I will go by Little Seal in this blog. Partly because it is the English version of my capoeira nickname; Capoeira being the Brazilian martial art that I am obsessed with, and also because it has a nice Asian flare, which being Taiwanese, is one part of my identity.
After some thought, I've realized that there are 3 major areas that I identify with and that frame the structure in which I live my life.
1) Movement: Physical expression, particularly through dance and capoeira, drives much of my life. I need to be able to move every day, and the actual movement is itself a meditation, where I can become completely present and free.
2) Food: Eating, cooking, sharing food with others are major components in my life. I hunger to find out as much as I can about learning to eat in a way that is sustainable and loving as possible.
3) Community: Connections with people, for me, are the basis of living. This is exactly why I chose to become a teacher, why I love learning languages, why I love traveling. You find out that you feel amazing when you give support to someone else and when you receive it in return.
Basically my goals in life are to find and create a life where I can focus on all of these things. Since 2001, I've worked on and off as a teacher, and while I love the work, the system in which education is structured is faulty and too taxing. So I'm taking a little break. Perhaps I'm naive in thinking that I can find work or create a job which matches all of my values....but it can't hurt to try...can it?
So that's what this time is about. Traveling, learning, thinking, doubting, experiencing, absorbing. And this blog. It's about trying to find balance in a time where there are a lot of choices and a lot of people telling you what you should be doing. So, as I try to find my own balance, I hope to share with you the little pieces of information that influence how I live my own life, and maybe you'll find something interesting in it too.
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Tammy, but I will go by Little Seal in this blog. Partly because it is the English version of my capoeira nickname; Capoeira being the Brazilian martial art that I am obsessed with, and also because it has a nice Asian flare, which being Taiwanese, is one part of my identity.
After some thought, I've realized that there are 3 major areas that I identify with and that frame the structure in which I live my life.
1) Movement: Physical expression, particularly through dance and capoeira, drives much of my life. I need to be able to move every day, and the actual movement is itself a meditation, where I can become completely present and free.
2) Food: Eating, cooking, sharing food with others are major components in my life. I hunger to find out as much as I can about learning to eat in a way that is sustainable and loving as possible.
3) Community: Connections with people, for me, are the basis of living. This is exactly why I chose to become a teacher, why I love learning languages, why I love traveling. You find out that you feel amazing when you give support to someone else and when you receive it in return.
Basically my goals in life are to find and create a life where I can focus on all of these things. Since 2001, I've worked on and off as a teacher, and while I love the work, the system in which education is structured is faulty and too taxing. So I'm taking a little break. Perhaps I'm naive in thinking that I can find work or create a job which matches all of my values....but it can't hurt to try...can it?
So that's what this time is about. Traveling, learning, thinking, doubting, experiencing, absorbing. And this blog. It's about trying to find balance in a time where there are a lot of choices and a lot of people telling you what you should be doing. So, as I try to find my own balance, I hope to share with you the little pieces of information that influence how I live my own life, and maybe you'll find something interesting in it too.
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