Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Currency Exchange?

Can you tell my home internet is working?

I think I'm made reference to it before but Uzbekistan operates a dual exchange rate system (not sure about the proper terminology). There's an offical rate and a black-market rate which is much lower (or higher- you get more money back when you exchange at the black market rate). So of course everyone exchanges at the black market rate unless forced to change at the official rate. For example when I paid for my residency permit I had to show a receipt saying I'd exchanged at official rate.
There's a bazaar about a 5 minute walk from my apartment and I've been changing there. The changers stand out front and just say 'dollar/euro' as you walk by. You ask them what the rate is and if you agree you make the exchange, count it if you think you need to and carry-on.
Anyway, the blackmarket rate has been going up/down (you're getting more and more back lately). So everytime I've been exchanging I've been getting more and more money. Today I went to a guy I hadn't been to be before. He seemed a little unsure of himself (most of them are very confident). He quoted me a rate that was quite a bit better than last week, which was the last time I did it. I said yes, we made the change and I left.
I got about a hundred metres and I heard him yelling and running after me. I turned around and he comes panting up sheepishingly. 'What's the problem?' I asked.....'uh I gave you the wrong rate (he gave me too much).' Seriously, world's most imcompetent black-market money changer, I can tell you where to find him.

2 comments:

  1. Hmmmm .... but did you give him what he wanted back?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good question!

    Do you tip the blackmarket people for their service?

    ReplyDelete