Bribery exists in Azerbaijan. There. I've said it. For us, and by us I mean Americans, someone who accepts a bribe is immediately viewed as a corrupt person. Those who engage in a system of bribery are unscrupulous individuals who lack basic values such as honesty. However, in a country where bribery is so pervasive that it almost goes unquestioned, bribery isn't so much corruption as proactive tipping. My friend owns a taxi, and I think he put it best: 'Ah yes, the Xachmaz police are all my friends'. Friendship; now thats a worthy value.
As a Peace Corps volunteer I don't have to participate in this system. If a police officer seems to be implying something, I can simply call a number to get things all sorted out. And I don't have to worry about bribes at school because, though I'm working for the school, I'm not employed by the school. But I do get to see it happening and, at this point in my service, I get a pretty big kick out of it. Some volunteers affect an offended stance on this, I just feel pretty cool that the people I'm with get to do something that we normally couldn't do. I know, I know, so mature.
The best example so far was a recent night when I was invited to go swimming with my host brother and his friends (who are a great group of guys by the way). We were going to an Olympic complex in Guba, near Xachmaz. It was dark when we pulled up and, from the lack of cars around the building, the complex appeared to be closed. But our group confidently strode up the steps and into the lobby.
They're talking to the guy at the reception desk and one of our group members pays for an entry ticket. We're asked if we have anything we'd like the desk to hold on to while swimming and the driver gives his car keys and another guy gives his phone. And under his phone is a folded twenty. The twenty wasn't hidden by the phone, it was more like a coaster for the phone to rest on, like he didn't want to scratch the laminate desk. And with that little transaction we were all motioned to head on our way.
So what did this get us. Well it turns out the complex was closed, so we basically had the entire olympic sized pool to ourselves. I probably haven't been swimming in 4 years and when I was asked whether I was a good or bad swimmer, I asked what he considered a bad swimmer, it turns out, in AZB, I'm a great swimmer. It was really fun, good ol' horsing around with no lifeguard to yell at us.
And who can put a price on friendship?
This is an interesting post! Of course you're right about the price/value of a good time with good friends - but it was an interesting connection you drew between the taxi driver and the police. As you said, you can get out of a forced bribe by calling someone and getting it sorted, but do you ever find yourself at the risk of offending or making a cultural mistake by not bribing?
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