I'm still here!

This is just a quick note to let you all know I'm still alive and well.  I'm about half way through my trip through South East Asia, and will resume regular blogs when I get home in October.  I managed to snag some much coveted internet time and thought I'd post a quick update.  I'm finding it hard to remain vegan here, so I've allowed myself to be a little flexible.  But I've told all my friends and they take good care of me, always checking to see what I can eat.  I feel like I'm causing such a ruckus!  But people have been very understanding.  To Indonesians, however (at least where I am currently), vegetarianism is unheard of!  Just the other day a lady was adamantly stating that its absolutely impossible to have a meal without meat! 

Here's something I've been thinking of lately and am curious to hear a vegan warrior's take on it.  Why is it that food companies misunderstand vegetarianism?  For example, the Hubs and I ordered vegetarian meals on the plane.  What came was a delicious fried tofu, rice, and vegetable dish.  As I was happily munching away I saw the ingredient list, and was sad to find Oyster Sauce in the list.  I presume Oyster Sauce has been derived in some way through the cooking of actual oysters, and therefore not vegetarian.  What compels this airline or food production line to label this meal as vegetarian when it clearly includes animal derivatives?  I didn't worry about it too much, after all I was famished, culture-shocked, and 10,000 feet above the earth.  I've noticed this with other dishes and am wondering why this happens.