Football and the MALL

So I don't know if I've recently just hit my stride or something, but hot damn I'm loving this whole Peace Corps experience more and more every day. I mean, I'm definitely counting down the days until my vacation in London at the end of the month (17 days!) but that would occur in any situation when I hadn't had a vacation for over seven months.

Anyway, the last three days have been relatively noteworthy. Sunday was the culmination of the girls' soccer league here in Sedona-miz. I felt a tad bit arsey on my way to the pitch Sunday morning as I hadn't shown much face during the month of March with all the travelling I had been doing for PC - VSN, Spring Camp, etc. So, my first day back in eons (or epochs... a word which was on my host-sisters practice BAC exam this monday... wtf?) happened to coincide with the playoffs and closing ceremonies. The final match was decided by a shoot-out, we had music and dancing, trophies, medals, new shirts and shoes, and certificates to boot. It was an all out extravaganza. Total success and will definitely be happening again next year! Insha'allah I'll be able to wrangle some team uniforms together during the summer through one avenue or another...

Ouidad, Me, and Sana - my favourite girls in Sedona-miz

Silver medalists proudly displaying their new swag

Handing out some certificates

Nearly all of the girls playing in this year's league

After returning home from the blistering heat of the football terrain - hello sandal tan in a matter of four hours - I quickly shifted into cooking mode as I had a few guests coming around for lunch. My spectacular sitemate Nathaniel, another PCV in town Jonathan, and a British couple who also live in Sedona-miz. The plan of action was to get the stuffed peppers actually stuffed with the stuffing and into the oven to cook before the folks arrived. I manically attempted to get the timeline right but when you've only got two burners and around the same number of pots, rotations don't always go down as planned.

Thus, the knock at the door came just as I was heading into assembly mode, aka, all hell broke loose in my kitchen and I looked like the Swedish Chef on crack. The kitten was running a muck, water was boiling over pans, the stove top was lit with nothing on top, I was in full crunch time mode, and made a really shitty host for about 3 minutes there. Nathaniel, having cooked with me on numerous occasions, knew I could pull a decent meal off so he was happily entertaining my cat, while the other three, I'm sure, we're heavily doubting my cooking abilities and most likely contemplating which sandwich stops were on the way home. Alhamdulilah, I popped the trays in, had some lovely conversation, and a pretty decent meal about 20 minutes later. Self high-five.

Later that evening I got a chance to speak to two of my dearest friends on skype which was a lovely end to a day I thought that couldn't be topped anytime in the near future... and then Monday came.

Okay so, there had been this relatively tame drum roll, a mild tremble if you will, leading up to Monday's outing to Marrakech. Only a mere week ago, a new outdoor, multi-level mall... ahem... MALL opened a few minutes drive outside of the Medina. There is a... Cinema. TGI Fridays. Sushi. Some Chain Coffee Shop. Steve Madden. United Colours of Benetton. Virgin Megastore. A Virgin Freaking Megastore. Among hundreds of other shops.

A complete state of utter shock is an understatement.

Sarah spent more than her monthly in-country stipend I'm sure, just in complete awe of the options available. Countless stores now at our fingertips. This is the first opportunity in-country I've even had to even try on clothes before buying them. This place nearly imposed internal combustion upon me. Holy mackerel.

I definitely don't think I can go more than once every few months. The reaction was just too intense. Not to mention the hit on my pocket book (though you would be proud, I only spent money in the grocery store, none in the clothes shops!). Wow, I didn't even mention the huuuuuuuumongous Carrefour super marche that is the basement floor of this place. I know I've written about Marjane before - the target meets sears meets supermarket of Morocco - this place is Bigger. Better. Cheaper. It's Marjane squared.

And that's why I can only allow my blood pressure to cope with it bimonthly. I really have a hard time balancing my 'I'm in Peace Corps look how badass I am' image, with having this utopia available just a mere two hours away. My reputation will take a significant blow each time I allow myself pure, undiluted, consumer-driven joy. It's a risk I just can't (afford not to) take. Shiver. I promise to use it in moderation ya'll. Pinky promise.

After a day of window-shopping bliss, I returned to my lovely Sedona-miz and felt way more at home than I did in any of those stores, including Steve Madden (as blasphemous as that is). I love my little rural routine. I like running downstairs for yogurt at 7am. I like the donkeys outside cutting through my Beach Boys during dinner prep. I like how I get realllllllllly excited when it's melon season (honeydews came today!) at the souq. I like that my weeks worth of fruits and veggies cost as much as my iced coffee did at that mall. I'm starting to really embrace the simple life. That ridiculous kitten of mine included.

I am still, however, over the moon about leaving for London at the end of the month. Much needed and overdue vacation time! Mostly, I just miss my best friends in the world terribly. I was telling another PCV on the phone tonight (yay Maroc Telecom landlines free after 8pm!) that it never occurred to me that they could miss me as much as I'm missing them. And a few delightful skype dates later, it turns out they do. Much love to all of you.