I completely understand what you are saying. As a vegetarian, I feel fortunate to have a choice but I am fully aware that in certain situations I must be gracious and eat what I am given. A lot of people couldn't even conceive of all of the choice we have. There's a lot of people that simply eat to live.

We've been trying to raise as much of our own food as possible and this has involved becoming more open to food we might not have eaten before. I think my appreciation and respect for food as sustenance has evolved dramatically through this process.

My husband who loves meat has had to eat more vegetarian in the past few years because of our goal to eat from our own land. If he does not hunt, or raise some animals for meat, then there isn't meat.

It was incredibly thoughtful for your hosts to purchase vegetables for you, such generosity, very humbling and touching to read this - and that plate of mangoes - wow!