Voice Your Choice: Mandiri

So you think you know Meulaboh pretty well, huh? Tag along with Sofia (age 2) and you’ll see a whole new Meulaboh through her curious eyes.

Sofia’s favorite place to go in town is Mandiri. When I asked her why she loves Meulaboh’s biggest supermarket so much she showed me a mark on her knee and said, “I have an owie.” I followed this tiny Meulabohite into Mandiri and watched her as she headed straight toward the juice. “I have juice,” Sofia thoughtfully commented as she reached for the apple and dropped two small boxes in a basket nearly half her size. As she waddled through the store Sofia didn’t just ignore the items she didn’t need, but she stopped and appreciated the fine packaging. “They’re flying,” Sofia said pointing to a picture of two boys on the powdered milk box. In fact, she admired several goods on the lower shelves that most adults just take for granted, like ketchup bottles, floor cleaner and baby powder, and especially the packaged kerupuk (chips). At last, with a full basket she had to drag down the aisle, Sofia’s supermarket adventure came to an end. “Did you have fun at Mandiri?” I asked her. “Yeah,” she said.