Over the past week, I’ve started contemplating becoming a vegetarian. Or a pescatarian. Or a chicken, burger, fish -atarian. Or just a non-schwein-atarian. My ham, sausage, you-name-it-pig-product consumption has really skyrocketed since I moved here; I’ve been eating pig nearly every day. At first, it was ok. Pig is tasty (refer to fact #5)! But after a few months, it’s getting a little old.

I had heard vegetarianism is on the rise among Germans, and now I’m starting to understand why. Zucchini, apples, cucumbers, carrots and lettuce are just as readily available as pig is in Germany right now. So, I’m embracing those locally farmed fruits and veggies, along with sauerkraut (eat fermented foods daily!), quark (high in protein!), Italian olives (healthy fat!) and Turkish hummus (the fountain of youth!).

I know I won’t give up delicious brats and brotchen at festivals every now and then. But I think I might pump the brakes on all the pig right now. After all, you are what you eat.