Let's learn about: Botswana! - Mo' Pula, Mo' Problems

The official currency of Botswana is the "Pula", which is currently trading at around 8 Pula or so to the US Dollar. Like most non-boring countries, the bills are colorful and oddly sized in order to make the experience as frustrating as possible for visitors with wallets sized for regularly-sized american bills.

Pula, aside from being the currency, is also the Setswana word for "rain". Thus the phrase, "I'm going to make it rain Pula" is confusing and somewhat redundant, as was helpfully pointed out to me a young student*. Pula is additionally the Setswana word for "blessing" which makes sense when you realize you are living in the middle of a fucking desert. There are 100 thebe to the Pula and someone initially tried to tell me that thebe meant "sprinkles" which I thought was just a little too on-the-nose to be true. As it turns out, thebe actually means "shield" which is considerably less cutesy.

*stripper.

The author "making it rain" Pula. 

The largest bill available is the 200 Pula note and has a picture of a woman reading to two young children. Whether she is supposed to represent a teacher or a mother, I have no clue, but either way it is a welcome contrast the the old-white-guy theme of our money and an inspiring symbol for a promising young nation.

200 Pula note, with annoying children. 

The 50 Pula note has a portrait of the beloved former president Sir Seretse Khama, whom the airport is also named after. Seretse was the first president of the brand new nation of Botswana when it declared itself officially independent. He presided over a rapid expansion of the economy and he is still a much revered figure among the Batswana. 

50 Pula note, with former president Sir Seretse Khama

The 10 Pula note has a portrait of the current president of Botswana, Ian Khama. I was thinking that it took some serious brass balls to print money with your own picture on it before you were even out of office, but I later found out that they've only had four presidents since they became an independent nation, so it's not like they're spoiled for choice. Still, you don't see many other democratically elected presidents plastering their face all over the currency during their term so I've got to give it up to him. 

10 Pula note with portrait of Ian Khama*, current President of Botswana
* not pictured, giant brass balls

Apparently they really had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for the 1 Pula note, which I've never even seen in circulation. Clearly they didn't put much thought into the design of this one. Everything about it screams, "poorly planned". The portrait they got of the Finance Minister looks like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 

The 1 Pula note, Minister of Finance* pictured.
* portrait generated from still taken from the parliament building security camera footage of  the Finance Minister returning from Olive Garden 20 minutes past his assigned lunch hour.

Due to the crazy run-away inflation in neighboring Zimbabwe, Pula are also considered legal tender in that country as well. I was disappointed to learn that their own much-maligned currency is no longer in circulation. Which is a shame. I really wanted to pick one of these bad boys up:

Approximate cost of one goat's testicle. 

Zimbabwe apparently completely ran out of elected officials to place on their money and just went with the old standard "pile of rocks" like so many countries do. 

Signing off, from Gaborone.