To Being Domestic... (and maintaining my American identity at the same time)

(apologies for the long title... I just became a little crazy with it)

Today, I had the simple pleasure of going to the mall all by myself. I went to the grocery store with Suria to get some groceries and then she graciously took them back to the flat and dropped me off at the mall. I have to admit that at first I was like oh great, crazy American girl by herself in another country and then, of course, I came to my senses and realized that it was fine... I'm in South Africa for Heaven's sake, not the middle of a desert where there's a random mall being guarded by people wearing little clothing and holding guns. I'm fine... right in the middle of quite Western civilization in Pretoria. So anyways... I went to the mall, hoping to find a few small pieces of clothing to realize that when things are made in their own country and are not imported, they do cost a bit more and I just thought about my $4 shirts on clearance at Old Navy or Target and I couldn't even talk myself into buying a $32 jacket (this is awful, I know-- because most of my clothes are imported and I'm just hoping that there is some secret fair trade law that the people that made my cheap clothing really do make fair wages and work decent hours a day).

I went into several stores and mindlessly converted rand into US dollars and thought about how much I would spend... clothes just seemed expensive here. Needless to say, I didn't buy any. I bought food. Unfortunately, they don't have all of these easy, frozen meals that I normally buy for $2 in the states so I have to actually make things while I'm here if I have any hope of eating anything besides cereal, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. (I'm talking about supper/dinner here... Suria cooks lunch and I eat with them which is SO fantastic.) I would like to say I'm becoming domestic. My friend, Wagener, who lives here in South Africa was telling me the other day that I am a "modern woman" because I don't cook very much and I'm not usually that great at it! I just eat ready-made meals and cereal... it's kind of ridiculous I know. So all that to say that Suria told me about this place at the end of the mall that is a large fruit and vegetable store... she didn't tell me how many other things they had! She also didn't tell me that the name of the place is "Food Lover's Market." Umm...hello. She has no idea how much I love food. If you look at this place from the inside of the mall, you think that it is only a fruit and vegetable store until you start to look for the cash register... then you have to walk through flowers, wines, the bakery, a gelato place, a market fresh lunch place, sushi trays, and so much more... I was a little overwhelmed to say the least! They had giant cookies... thank you Jesus and all these cupcakes and yes, I do plan on going back there! Oh yeah... I did buy some fruits and vegetables so that I can actually cook in the next couple of weeks. Ha. Forgot to mention that... and THEY were super cheap which I'm a fan of. And I bought two cookies that I'm savoring every bite of, even though they're a little hard.... and I bought a coke (thank you for sugar and caffeine that is not tea or coffee).... and last, but not least, I ended my rendevous of a morning by once again, remembering my American identity and stopping at Seattle's Best Coffee (I thought it was weird too) and having an iced chai. Yes, and amen.

And that my friends, is what I call an American domestic at her best :) Have a good day! -Melis