Meeting the Women at the Club

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I started off the morning with two big successes: I was not only able to get cash: a much harder process than I expected, I will share more on that later But, I also got a SIM card so I can get local data and a phone number.



Once I was flush with cash it only seemed appropriate that I purchase my first Rolex. Not the watch, but Ugandan's most popular street food. I love trying new foods when I travel, but street food is my favorite! A Rolex is basically a flat omelette with onions, carrots, cabbage, and tomatoes that is rolled up in chapati. Chapati is an east African unleavened bread. I would describe it as a denser, sweeter, moister pita bread. It gets its name because it is rolled like a taquito. Very filling for $.43



Among other things, I am going to be teaching financial literacy to a group of girls and women who are learning hair braiding as a skill. As I think I shared earlier, there are no free school options. These girls have no way to pay for school so they are learning a trade instead. Most of them already have one or two children even though they are still teenagers.



After working on lesson plans at the office we went to the club as they call it where the ladies gather. They have several different club locations so that the women are able to walk to it. The women attending the club are either living with family or with their husband/boyfriend and coming to the club during the day for training. Today’s gathering was mostly just introductions so I could start to meet the women. I will be meeting with them several times per week. There will be group lessons as well as one on one budgeting.



After work I went for a nice walk while the sun was lower, had a local beer at one of the many road side bars, and finished with another great dinner cooked by Irene. There are no liquor laws here so anyone can sell alcohol. Because of this, you see pop up bars all over the place. It is common to see a makeshift bar next to a meat joint. You point to the cut of meat you want from what is hanging in the window and then you have a beer next door while you wait for them to cook your food.

We had a nice evening breeze so I put on my bug spray and we sat on the front porch to continue brainstorming our future classes. I have been more diligent with my bug spray and have kept the bites at bay. Their mosquitos are much smaller than ours. Unlike when you get a bite back at home that will stay for days, all but two of my bites were gone by the morning.

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