very new

Hello, all. I guess I'm just one of many in the crowd saying hi, but I thought I'd better introduce myself before I start posting.

I'm 21 and a college student in Indiana, and I am very new at being vegetarian. I had thought semi-seriously about trying vegetarianism in the past, but I got my biggest nudge when I spent this past semester studying at Oxford in England. There were so many more vegetarian options than I had ever found back in Podunkville, Indiana, and I found myself trying and liking some new things, so I decided to give up red meat and pork for Lent and see how things went from there. A few weeks into Lent, I realized I had eaten meat maybe twice total since making the commitment, and didn't miss it a bit. So I decided to go completely meat-free after Lent.

This was working well until I got back to Indiana, where I'm living at home for the summer. My family goes for a very meat-and-potatoes, open up a can or a box for dinner type of thing. Hardly any fresh fruits or veggies and meat meat everywhere. It's been difficult for me, and I admit to having fallen down some since getting back home. I'm looking forward to being on my own for meals again once school starts and I move out, but for now it's pretty tough. My family doesn't really understand why in the world I'd want to go veggie. They're not exactly hostile to the idea, they're just not very compromising or encouraging, either.

So that's where things stand for me right now. Once I get myself more smoothly into being a vegetarian, I may or may not go all the way towards veganism, I'm not sure. The only thing I'd have a really hard time giving up is cheese! Anyway, that's my story. Nice to meet you all!