OVER the past several days, my rusty pick-up truck and I have been scouring the open fields near where I live, looking for either of two things: fresh hay that I could gather from newly harvested rice farms or pockets of green from where I would reap feeder grass for my cattle and goats. I start at the break of dawn because of the extreme heat. I bring a jug of cold water and canned goods from balikbayan boxes sent by generous next of kin based in the US.

I don't eat canned goods for health reasons, but I bring the canned stuff (Spam, sausages in small tin cans and the like) with me for a precise reason.