Not being born in the US definitely had its challenges, especially as a new comer to the country starting first grade. Luckily for me, I had the opportunity to learn enough English to get by without much difficulty. The transition was still very difficult especially for a young child in a foreign land, and we know how cruel little kids can be. I remember growing up, it was always taught to my sister and I that we don’t eat meat from outside the house as we don’t exactly know where the meat is coming from. Silly rule, but it was a traditional custom. This made lunch time very difficult as I was limited to what I can eat. As I got more comfortable with my classmates, I would see them eat Sloppy Joes every Wednesday. Boy did they look delicious. Under peer pressure and temptation I gave in. Now to this day, it is very common for my entire family to eat meat anywhere we go.

As my family and I started to consume more and more meat, we became you regular every day American meat eaters. It became a normal part of all meals. Even though I’ve seen people eat meat before coming to the states, it didn’t compare to how we consume meat here. I guess I never really gave it much thought to how much work goes into raising livestock. In figure 6.6 it shows that humans use plant crops and livestock for food. However, one big difference is that plant crops don’t need livestock, instead the livestock needs plant crops in order grow and eventually feed us. There are several issues with a livestock diet. More plant crop input is needed in order to raise the animals. Then we also have ethical issues as how the animals are being treated. Everyone is aware of how most livestock is kept and raised, yet we continue to consume it anyways.