Food for thought

I am going to kill a chicken before I leave Namaacha.  Supposively its a rite of passage.

Next time you go into a grocery store and select products, seriously take a moment to think about how that product got into your cart. Being in the Peace Corps, even thought Im only in training right now, I have had some extra free time on my hands lately, which leads to deep thoughts that get to challenge my beliefs, or validate them. Whats even more fun is sharing these discussions with my colleagues.

The first time my host mom bought a chicken, I couldnt even be in the same vicinity when she killed them. They were so cute cuddling next to each other. They looked so peaceful, I almost felt guilty. The second time, I told her I would watch. I watched her take it to the yard, step on its wings, and put the knife to its neck. Then I turned around. I couldnt watch as the chicken was shrieking. The third time, we had two chickens I believe and it was nighttime, and pretty chilly. The two chickens were cuddling under the charcoal stove we had going. I was able to watch that time. It helped that it was dark, but I watched from the porch. With the second chicken, I was actually able to hand it to her and watch again. After these experiences, I have seriously thought about becoming a vegetarian. I still have yet to actually kill a chicken, but I told my host mom I want to before I leave, as long as my brother does it with me because he never has either. Anyway, so then this experience led into this whole thought process about whether I should be able to even eat anything that I am not able to kill. I was discussing this with a former trainee, and he said he felt the same way about this. That taking the life of something can make you feel sad or whatever, but after its done, its done. Just like that.

So then I was thinking, ok now lets be real. I am from Texas and I am surely not going to give up filet mignon in my future. Ive decided as long as the killing of animals is humane, Ill eat it.

During our permaculture training, the trainer told us that when putting manure in the crops, be sure you dont use human waste, because our waste is toxic. What am I putting into my body that would be toxic to the soil? And what does that do inside my body? Theres a whole science on this topic, and I would love to learn more about it.

I have yet to kill a chicken, but when I do, I will keep in mind that that chickens life has been worth this lesson.