where have all the soums gone?

There are still no soums to be had in exchange offices. The only option for people to exchange dollars into soums is on the black market. The easiest place to do this is usually at a bazaar. Normally, you would get the official exchange rate or maybe even one slightly better if you were lucky. This is not the case now. The traders are taking advantage of situation and using it to make a bit of extra money. Some of them are even buying up the few soums that may be left at exchange offices and then offering them at sub-standard rates.

So where did all the soums go?

They went to pacify the people of Uzbekistan. The government knows that the country is crawling with foreign 'investigators' who are roaming around interviewing the 'common' folk. They know that the people are in an agitated state. They know they are hungry and poor. So how can you keep people calm and save face while you are in the international spotlight? You start giving out money. You pay people the wages you have withheld for months or even years. You pay back the small companies for all the work they've done for you. You even (apparently) give money to some people for no reason at all. Not only that, but you stop sending out the loathsome bill collectors. No more Mr. Taxman coming around to remind the people why they were so upset. Then you hope that with money in hand and food on the table the people will think nothing but happy thoughts and praise your virtues when talking to the international press.


Other things of note:

• Peace Corps are pulling out. I hear they will all be gone within two weeks.
• I am finally back home in Ferghana (but only for 3 days).