Transitions - Living Life with One Hand

Can you imagine what I mean by the title? Let me give you the image.

There's a woman headed to her car, which if you were to look inside, is much messier than she would like for it to be because she hasn't had the time nor the energy to get around to cleaning it. Her backpack is heavy and loaded with her "academic stuff" for the day and in her hand is a water bottle, a piece of fruit usually (gotta eat), keys, another bag with personal items such as wallet, make-up (especially that lipstick yo), hair ties, clips, and any other change of clothes needed for the day. As she opens her door she tilts her back ever so slightly to allow her left arm to release one side of the back pack and plops it down in the drivers seat. Because she is parked on the street she has to worry about cars driving by so she squeezes in with the backpack still in the drivers seat, closes the door with one hand and remains squished in her present spot. Next, the backpack is lifted with a huge grunt as it is always heavy, and then thrown awkwardly, with pain in the neck I might add, to get over to the passenger seat. Then the items of the left hand/arm find their way to their position in the car whether it be on the passenger side floor, backseat, or glove box... before it is all regathered up to head into class/work/rehearsal/café/house etc. Sometimes the image looks slightly different in which she opens her driver side door and instantly tosses her belongings all the way to the passenger side with a slight worry that this action was dumb being that her laptop was in that bag. Other times she may actually go to the passenger side door and set down some of her items before going to get in the driver's seat. Truly it depends on the day and if she is rushing, but it mostly depends on her mood.

 The load is heavy, and the crud is in the transitions which require the heavy load as well as the rush. This woman has one hand free usually, and often it has a phone in it, communicating in these transitions because communication has become so important and necessary that to miss a text just makes things inconvenient for the text sender if it is a question about school/work, or a family member needing something. Sometimes even the random text from a friend you haven't heard from in a while becomes a burden in which there is no time to respond to them, and in those few minutes of transition time, it is not desirable to be texting/talking on the phone. The woman feels this way, with her tilt of back to the left as her bag hangs from only her right shoulder, left hand full of stuff, and right hand with phone, thumb busy.

 Since when did this become this woman's reality? When did one hand become her only free limb to use and access doors? With the schedule I have had lately, this woman has been me... and even though I've never really come across an article or blog in which someone has addressed this reality in the way I have, I know that this is the case for more than just this woman, me. Another image I have is this: sitting from a distance in space the world is seen in rotation. Around this world we can see humans all traveling in the direction the world is rotating, towards the sun... to the east. I am one who desires to walk. But all around me people are freaking running. While I get lapped if I choose to walk, it doesn't make me want to run any faster.

 We live in a world where humankind is running faster than the world rotates, which explains why there isn't enough time in a day... as soon as the sun rises we start chasing after the sun and it sets before it should because of our distance traveled. Now perhaps this metaphor doesn't make sense to you... but I see it clearly. It'd be comforting to know that you get what I mean, too.

Vegan in France - Alors, Végétalien(ne)

Consuming a vegan diet became fairly simple while living in the states. Being in France for the past month has shown me that veganism hasn't reached the ends of the world yet.

I don't like the idea of evangelizing a way of eating... at all. If someone wants to become a vegan, they'll express that they are interested and then I can "assist" in their transformation. It's no different than religion really... And I hope that no one ever sees me as someone who feels superior to others just because of this diet I have.

But... it's been quite a challenging diet here in France, and EVERYONE wants an explanation and asks why, therefore I have so many conversations with it as a subject. I prefer that people ask why I am a vegan rather than me just coming out of nowhere and saying the reason for my complete 180 in diet. But in this case, I'm communicating to humans with a different reality when it comes to cultural activity (such as the way animals are mass produced and mass murdered in the U.S.A.) and to them, the idea is quite absurd. In fact, the idea has crossed my mind that perhaps I should write a book on veganism/rawveganism in French...

I'm not much of a writer, really. Brad is way better at it. =D But with guidance and determination it might work someday. Even though this diet has been a challenge here, I've somehow succeeded with the help of my host family and the program directors. Many still don't comprehend what the diet includes/excludes, but that's okay. They just haven't had the resources I have had when I made my transition. There are so many youtubers and books written in english about studies and the reason for a vegan diet. Perhaps Americans are searching way more than the French, for a cure to cancer, for a cure to sickness, and for a cure to all that is ill in our nation.. that's just a huge leap of a statement though.

That's what this lifestyle has been for me, a search for healing but also a liberation. And no, I don't feel I have missed out on French cuisine at all. My host mom makes the most amazing vegan stuff without even a recipe book. She accepted the challenge and has been nothing short than perfect in accommodating for my diet.

So in case you're wondering if you can be a vegan in France, yes you can. Despite challenges nothing is impossible.

I'm not starving at all.

Thankful
~Sara