Practical Creativity: Rice Coin Sacks.

Dominica uses the East Caribbean Dollar, fondly (maybe?) referred to as the EC. One US dollar is 2.70 EC or 10 EC is about $3.70... whichever way helps you figure out the exchange. I use an iPhone just to be sure I don't think too much. Just kidding... I'll figure it our eventually. 

Anyways, why am I telling you about the exchange?! Because they use a lot of coins here. The dollar coin and the .25 coin is often the change given and the littler coins (.10, .05, .02, and .01) are tossed around here and there. Andy and I only had wallets for paper dollars and the change was starting to get annoying. Pockets, cups, table tops, and our backpacks had coins jingling. Now that makes it sound like we have a lot of money. Don't be deceived. Those coins were mostly .05 cent coins I picked up on the street (yes, I washed my hands). Anyways, we needed coin sacks. 

"DANGER: No jumping. No running here."
(Because the planks of the dock aren't all attached and its shallow/there might be a piece of wood or metal under the water... obvi.)

Tribute to an African hero.

Before I got around to purchasing two coin sacks, I took a trip to the beach. There is no jumping and no running here (see the sign in the picture above...) but there is plenty of exploring. I found a tribute to Nelson Mandela, a "party hut" to rent for... parties, and a piece of an old plastic rice sack.

RICE SACK?! ..... COIN SACK!! So, after scrubbing the plastic sack, cutting out coin sack templates, and taping the edges, I hand sewed them and put a tie on mine and a button hole on Andy's. Zero dollars, one broken needle, two hurt fingers, and a few hours later: two rice coin sacks! 

Note to self: next time use someone's sewing machine. Sewing through plastic and masking tape is... rough. 

The rice sack I found and made into our coin sacks. 

My rice coin sack. (pre-button)