Vegan Vegetarianism in Peace Corps

Lisette has done it again with her crazy animal rights idealism.

As a vegan and current Peace Corps volunteer I wanted to add my 2 cents:

I have been vegan for 6 years and vegetarian for over 11 mostly for animal rights reasons but also for health, environmental, and human rights reasons as well. When I applied to peace corps, my recruiter said I had to be flexible about being vegetarian not just vegan aka I had to be willing to eat meat. I agreed to the proposition though secretly I was planning on sticking to the veganism.

I have been in country for almost a year. Luckily, I have been able to completely avoid animal products and still be culturally sensitive and more than nutritionally sound. Once I got to country, staff was completely supportive of my veganism. They set me up with host families willing and able to handle vegan cooking. I can't say its always been easy and yes I have had to be flexible meaning - going hungry when only options are meat, possibly paying more to ensure my health (though I think being veggie is cheaper here), working a little harder to make sure I am eating nutritiously, being patient explaining to others why I am veg. I can't say I have been perfect ie when I am served something could have been snuck in but the same is true in the states. I also reject non-vegan food in a very cultural sensitive way. I am not in your face about it but I feel as part of the PC mission I need to also represent USA culture which does include the minority population of vegetarians that is growing quickly.

I can't speak for all of peace corps and all countries but I do want to give my voice that it is possible and can work.


I am even working with other volunteers forming a volunteer support group called Apoyo sin Pollo or Support with Chicken YAY to support vegetarians/vegans/non-meat heads in Peace Corps Honduras. Check out the article I wrote about it for the PC newsletter:

Get in on the action - Apoyo Sin Pollo!
Submitted by volunteer Lisette Molina


Tired of the bombardment of churros, sugar coffee, and funky ‘pata de baca’ soup? Want to feel rejuvenated, energized and ten years younger? Well, check out the newest unofficial PCV support group

Apoyo sin Pollo!

Our mission: “To provide loving support to Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff by eating saludable y sostenible, exercising through recipe exchanges, potlucks, sharing saludable reads, and creating a macanudo cookbook to be passed down to future PCVs and our communities.”

This group of 44 members grew out of a need to support vegetarians and vegans in Peace Corps but has now grown larger to include anyone interested in healthier eating and exercise for themselves and for their Honduran communities. This is about moving toward eating a plant based diet so that we are as physically healthy as we can be, environmentally friendly, and spare animal suffering. And it’s not about being pure or strict; it’s about being informed and having fun while living according to values like kindness and thoughtfulness. We strive to be healthy, heal our bodies from disease, and start making the world a more peaceful, sustainable, and livable place. It’s about leaning into a healthy lifestyle simply by tweaking our very favorite meals so that they are delicious and nutritious versions of the things we already love.

Quick stats about why “no pollo”:

• Former President Bill Clinton, Boxer Mike Tyson, Actor Tobey Maguire, NFL player Tony Gonzalez all follow a primarily plant-based diet so if you want to be famous, an athlete or President of the USA….

• The United Nations has reported that a vegan diet can feed many more people than an animal-based diet.

• A United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, ships, and planes in the world COMBINED.

• Of all the raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S., more than one-third are used to raise animals for food.

• Compared to meat-eating comrades, vegetarians/vegans experience a 50 percent lower rate of heart disease, a 40 percent lower cancer rate and a life- span of 6-10 years longer, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

• Animals are sentient beings who deserve dignity and a life free of suffering. Pigs are smarter than dogs and every bit as friendly, loyal, and affectionate. They have greater cognitive abilities than a 3-year old human child.

For me personally this has been a life saver and comfort. I’ve been vegetarian for over 10 years (no animal flesh – chicken, beef, fish, etc) and ve- gan for 5 (No animal flesh or products – meat, dairy, eggs, etc.). I am passionate about animal rights and also human rights. That’s why like you, I’m here in Peace Corps. But when applying to Peace Corps, I was told in my interview that I have to be flexible about being vegan aka eat meat. Luckily, I have been able to completely avoid animal products and still be culturally sensitive and more than nutrition- ally sound. And now I am even part the Apoyo Sin Pollo community who has the same interest too. Interested? Burning questions? Email Lisette.Molina.pchn@gmail.com

What’s life like here

Its been over a month that I have been here in my site Maraita and I am well on the way to settling in. Let me try to paint a picture of what my life is like here.

Maraita is an extremely small town. In this first month, I think I have gotten to know half the pueblo but through chisme (gossip) they all know me. When I introduce myself as Lisette the new PC volunteer, the response I usually get is “Oh so you’re the Nicaraguan who doesn’t eat anything.” Aka the vegan whose parents were both born in Nicaragua. Here I am not American since I don’t have blonde hair and blue eyes like the ones on TV. In the town center there is a small park consisting of grass, a basketball court (that is always ALWAYS used for soccer) and a kiosk. Surrounded the park is the municipality, a grammar school, police station, and church. The rest of Maraita central is mostly houses plus the high school, kindergarten, and health center. There is also ‘aldeas’ or small pueblos that surround the main part of town, photos below:

(Central Park)

(Photo in one of the aldeas)

I wake up at 6:30 am which by that time my host mom has already made breakfast, hand washed all of the families clothes, and cleaned the whole house. I head out for a morning run passing breath taking views of green mountains all around since Maraita is located in a valley. The views are also breath-taking cause I’m running and well- a little bit out of shape. All along the way, people greet me with a hello (Greeting everyone is a must here even strangers) and a curious stare or occasionally comment. Often I get a comment like “Really tired huh?” in the first 5 min of my run which is terrible for my pride but great for my motivation. The curious stares are from me being the only person in this town who runs for fun. Once my co-worker saw me running and decided to join me even though he was in his nice work clothes. People just don’t know how to react.

Next is the most detested part of my day – the cold water shower. Dun dun duuuuuuh! Ok so maybe its not the worst thing in the world but its not fun. There is electricity and running water most of the time here so I can live with the cold showers. Then after getting ready and eating breakfast, I am off to work at the town’s municipal office. I usually get there by 8:30, 30 minutes after the work day begins, where I am chaffed for being late. Looking around though I always see everyone kicking back waiting for the coffee to brew to drink with their rosquias. There is a mayor (he comes about once a week), secretary, treasurer, women’s office coordinator, 2 janitors, environmental officer and public services officer. The building has one large room, two offices, and 4 computers. I usually then sit, chit chat for a while and wait for people to get started on work. Being a Municipal Development Volunteer I have tried to get involved with as much as I can in the Municipality. So work right now is planning a women’s small business showcase and fair, helping the CATASTRO office create a property tax system for the town, creating a PARTICIPATORY 2011 municipal budget with citizens’ input, and helping to establish the brand new women’s office. This is also mixed in with employees stopping work to gossip, dance, do someone else’s eyebrows, haircuts, food parties, rounding up somebody’s donkey that got loose in the park, etc. I love the work environment here.

In between the work and randomness, I take an hour lunch break. I’m also working on some side projects including working with a community bank, and teaching the secretary at the high school how to use a computer so she then teaches the students computer classes. It’s a lot of work but with everything I do I have a counterpart so that the project is sustainable and continues after my 2 years of service. Also so I don’t have a heart attack and die at the age of 35.

At around 5 pm I head home to my host family, eat dinner, watch TV, play with the kids, exercise or do yoga with my host mom, and then hit the hay around 7 or 8pm. Yes that’s right for you smarties paying attention I sleep an average of 11 hours. There are definitely some lows but overall its awesome here!