Lunch Time

These girls, wearing their school uniforms, are on their 2:30 pm lunch break from school. Schools do not provide lunches to students so most kids go home or do what these girls are doing: go to their favorite taapalaapa stand to grab a sandwich for 12 dalasis (less than 50 cents). Taapalaapa is a type of bread used for sandwiches in The Gambia. It reminds me of a cross between sourdough and French bread. Usually, they get hardboiled eggs, cooked potatoes, beans, or meat with mayonnaise on their taapalaapa. And these girls will be full for hours because taapalaapa sandwiches are about a foot long. These stands also sell Coke, Fanta, water, and tea for the students. After the students are done eating and hanging out at the stand, they will make their way back to school.