Choices

Life ain't bad here in Banda Aceh compared to some places where my friends are living or have lived. I can pretty much fulfill my basic everyday needs. But the thing is, I like having choices, and that's something I don't have much of here.

If you want bread, ok, you can have bread, but only soft, white, pillowy, Wonderbread-like bread. If you want chocolate, ok, you can have chocolate, but either $5 imported Ritter Sport or disgusting local chocolate (so I end up splurging). If you want socks, ok, you can have socks, but only polyester socks with flower designs around the ankle. If you want books, ok, you can have your pick from 20 books, but only books in Indonesian, and most are about Allah. If you want to go to the movies. Sorry. No movie theaters in the province.