Marjane

(adapted email to Leslie Watson)

In the urban centers, Fes, Casablance, Rabat, Marrakesh and a few others, there is a Target-esque store called Marjane. Everyone, volunteers and natives alike, speak about Marjane as if it is the next best thing to eternal bliss and that the only experience exceeding its glory is sitting in the presence of Allah Himself.

After about a month and half in our training sites (we were in tiny towns and it should go without saying that there was nothing to speak about in the way of super markets) we went to Fes, and to the magical Marjane.

Upon entering the excessively enormous building (think typical Target size, but not as big) with automatic sliding doors and the word “MARJANE” written in hip, stylish font above the entrance, myself along with Anna and Leigh (CBT mates) found ourselves wrapped in a mix of excitement and knee-quivering fear.

Is that AC? Is someone speaking on an intercom? Beep...beep...beep...cashier scanners? Cashiers? No. Way…ICE CREAM!?!

After we were able to muster enough energy and coherency to move in a straight line, we searched the store for the essentials, which seemed to have been checked with our luggage, on September 8th, 2009 at the JFK airport.

Do you need deodorant? Maybe...do I smell? Shaving cream? No, I’ve been using soap and water---sometimes just water. Q-tips? S***, I forgot we even do that.

If I could hardly handle the Marjane, I just may very well fall to pieces the next time I got to a super market.

Quote of the day: "Jesus, chocolate milk is good." ---an instantly classic line by Mari Yogi