Interview with Mercedes Coralisa Concerning Vegetariansim
Meryam: Are you a vegetarian?
Mrs. Mercedes: Yes, I am.
Houria: How and why did you decide to become a vegetarian?
Mrs. Mercedes: Basically, I became a vegetarian a long time ago, maybe…23 years ago. I remember I used to have a pet rabbit and when I went to Spain to visit my mother, my uncle had prepared a meal, and the meat he had cooked looked like it came from a rabbit. So, I felt something deep inside…I don’t know what it was…but it was something beyond what I can explain. I didn’t even eat the food that he had prepared. Afterwards when I returned to the USA, I started reading some magazines and corresponding with some organizations, as at that time there was no internet. They sent me some information about vegetarianism, and how animals were treated. From their birth to their death, animals are mistreated and suffer immensely all to satisfy humanity. So it really makes a difference for me and has a deep impact not only on my mind, but also on my soul.
Meryam: Once you became a vegetarian, did you miss meat?
Mrs. Mercedes: No, actually I didn’t, and I even didn’t regret becoming a vegetarian.
Houria: How has your diet evolved?
Mrs. Mercedes: Well, I started to give up meat first such as cows, sheep, etc. Then I gave up chicken. So, within three months I gave up all meat except fish, which I gave up one year later.
Meryam: Describe yourself as a vegetarian today.
Mrs. Mercedes: I am a vegan vegetarian, which means I eat vegetables, grains, and all kinds of nuts. But since I came to Morocco, I started eating cheese, eggs, and drink milk because soy milk is too expensive, and I find it difficult to find the right food to substitute.
Houria: Do you feel that you have influenced the rest of your family?
Mrs. Mercedes: All my family has passed away, including my parents and uncles, except for my brother who lives somewhere else. So, the only person I can influence is my husband since we live together, but I don’t force him to become a vegetarian. It is a personal choice. So if someone is interested in becoming one, I can help them with guidance and by providing a few useful websites.
Meryam: Is it beneficial to be a vegetarian? How?
Mrs. Mercedes: Yes, it is very beneficial for your health because it reduces the chance of getting different dangerous diseases like cancer. More than that, human physiology resembles a rabbit, which eats only plants. You can check Google for that, and then you can find lots of answers.
Houria: What advice can you give vegetarian people?
Mrs. Mercedes: I would like to say to them that they have to strive to be vegan vegetarians in its literal meaning. In other words, they have to be pure vegetarians by cutting down on milk, eggs, and cheese because they not only want to strive to be happier, but they also want to help protect animals so fewer of them will pass away.
By Meryam Alami & Houria Achibane, Advanced 2
Mrs. Mercedes: Yes, I am.
Houria: How and why did you decide to become a vegetarian?
Mrs. Mercedes: Basically, I became a vegetarian a long time ago, maybe…23 years ago. I remember I used to have a pet rabbit and when I went to Spain to visit my mother, my uncle had prepared a meal, and the meat he had cooked looked like it came from a rabbit. So, I felt something deep inside…I don’t know what it was…but it was something beyond what I can explain. I didn’t even eat the food that he had prepared. Afterwards when I returned to the USA, I started reading some magazines and corresponding with some organizations, as at that time there was no internet. They sent me some information about vegetarianism, and how animals were treated. From their birth to their death, animals are mistreated and suffer immensely all to satisfy humanity. So it really makes a difference for me and has a deep impact not only on my mind, but also on my soul.
Meryam: Once you became a vegetarian, did you miss meat?
Mrs. Mercedes: No, actually I didn’t, and I even didn’t regret becoming a vegetarian.
Houria: How has your diet evolved?
Mrs. Mercedes: Well, I started to give up meat first such as cows, sheep, etc. Then I gave up chicken. So, within three months I gave up all meat except fish, which I gave up one year later.
Meryam: Describe yourself as a vegetarian today.
Mrs. Mercedes: I am a vegan vegetarian, which means I eat vegetables, grains, and all kinds of nuts. But since I came to Morocco, I started eating cheese, eggs, and drink milk because soy milk is too expensive, and I find it difficult to find the right food to substitute.
Houria: Do you feel that you have influenced the rest of your family?
Mrs. Mercedes: All my family has passed away, including my parents and uncles, except for my brother who lives somewhere else. So, the only person I can influence is my husband since we live together, but I don’t force him to become a vegetarian. It is a personal choice. So if someone is interested in becoming one, I can help them with guidance and by providing a few useful websites.
Meryam: Is it beneficial to be a vegetarian? How?
Mrs. Mercedes: Yes, it is very beneficial for your health because it reduces the chance of getting different dangerous diseases like cancer. More than that, human physiology resembles a rabbit, which eats only plants. You can check Google for that, and then you can find lots of answers.
Houria: What advice can you give vegetarian people?
Mrs. Mercedes: I would like to say to them that they have to strive to be vegan vegetarians in its literal meaning. In other words, they have to be pure vegetarians by cutting down on milk, eggs, and cheese because they not only want to strive to be happier, but they also want to help protect animals so fewer of them will pass away.
By Meryam Alami & Houria Achibane, Advanced 2