My food experience in Canada as a vegetarian

Hey Friends, 

I'm Gaurisha, a student who landed in Canada five months ago. As an Indian vegetarian in a new place, I got flooded with suggestions to start eating meat to survive in the weather and lifestyle of this country. Today, I want to share my ups and downs and the incredible community I found while sticking to my vegetarian lifestyle in a foreign land.

The Challenge of Change

Living in a new country has hurdles, and adapting my vegetarian lifestyle was one. It was more challenging than I thought, from missing familiar veggie options to dealing with my not-so-great cooking skills. Let's get honest about the compromises and adjustments I had to make every day.

Navigating a Maze of Challenges

Moving to Canada as a student brought many challenges that shaped my vegetarian life. Let's dig into the hurdles that became part of my journey:

1. Culinary Cluelessness:                                                                                                                I couldn't cook, so I relied heavily on the food my cousin, who I was living with, used to make or outside food, making things trickier.
2. Budgetary Tightrope:                                                                                                             Balancing studies and living costs meant I had to be careful with money. This affected my lifestyle and meal choices a lot.
3. The Conundrum of Limited Options:                                                                                       Budget constraints left me with only a few affordable vegetarian meals, making it challenging to find good options.
4. Living in a Non-Vegetarian World:                                                                                       Surrounded by people okay with meat. I had to figure out how to get by with smaller portions or find different meals that matched my choices.
5. Time Crunch:                                                                                                                              Student life and having minimal break duration meant I sometimes needed to skip meals because I couldn't find affordable vegetarian options.
6. Battling a Delicate Stomach:                                                                                                           My sensitive stomach made it even harder to explore outside food.
7. The Quest for Nutritional Balance:                                                                                        Crafting a healthy, budget-friendly, and vegetarian diet was a constant struggle.
8. Impact on Health and Beliefs:                                                                                                      These challenges didn't just mess with my taste buds and health; they affected my religious beliefs and personal choices.

Embracing Virtual and Local Support

Amid the trauma of adjusting to new food choices, I encountered a bunch of people on online platforms where individuals encouraged me that maintaining a vegetarian lifestyle abroad was not an insurmountable task. Empowered by this insight, I felt compelled to share my struggles, providing a platform to connect with others going through similar challenges. As comforting as my digital community was, a new chapter unfolded when I moved to a new location, where I found local vegetarian friends. Taking advice and inspiration from their experiences, networking online and offline has become an integral part of my journey. 

Join me as I unpack the impact of this mutual friendship in regaining my food choices abroad.

Resilience and Returning to Vegetarianism

The turning point was realizing I could thrive on a vegetarian diet in Canada. I'll spill the beans on vegetarian-friendly restaurants and recipes that became my favourites                                                         

  

  Yum and budget-friendly                       

     Recipes and How to Cook

Building a Community

Inspired by the community that helped me, I want to pay it forward. Let's create a space for those dealing with vegetarian challenges abroad to connect, share tips, and build a supportive community.

Conclusion:

Whether you're a seasoned vegetarian traveller or just starting, "G's Cuisine Vibes" is your spot for stories, advice, and a sense of community. Let's embrace the vegetarian lifestyle, one tasty meal at a time!