I made my mind in the summer of 1993. It wasn't really difficult decision, I had felt that I didn't "fit" for a long time before that. It was always uncomfortable around the table in the company's cafeteria. I had already developed a reputation for being picky, people had suspicions. I didn't feel shame, I just didn't feel in the mood for giving explanations. The real challenge came when we were sitting for our Christmas dinner, as my mom cut me a piece of the juicy "puerco en puya" I couldn't hold it any longer. With trembling voice I blurt it out right then and there, to my family's utmost shock: "mom... I am a vegetarian".

In a country of unapologetic carnivores, where the vernacular is peppered with witty references to how delicious meat is, it is very hard to be a vegetarian. I am sure that being gay must be more difficult, but at least they don't have to go around explaining themselves. If you are a vegetarian in the Dominican Rep. then lots of explanations will ensue as we are not really used to this foreign concept.

My father, of course, has not accepted it. He thinks I can be "converted" back to the rightful path of the meat-eaters. The rest of my family has left me alone. My friends will nicely offer a vegetarian choice when they invite me and my mom jokingly suggests "killing an eggplant for dinner" when I am back home. It is now quiet in the family front.

Eating out, however, is a real challenge. Some restaurants don't offer choices for vegetarians, and I pity strict vegetarians, that concept is totally unknown here. At telling a waiter that I am a vegetarian (praying that there will be something I can eat somewhere in the kitchen) it is not rare that they stare at me like I am a strange bug and ask "but you eat chicken, don't you?". Excuse me? Did that chicken grow in a tree?

After a few months of practicing a total ban on meat I decided I had to compromise, or else I would starve, not to mention that I had become an outcast of society. I decided to at least eat fish. Now when I tell people "I don't eat meat... but I eat fish" they look at me in a different way... like I am not a complete pervert.

By Aunt Clara