he fact that the money ran out just before Christmas meant that many of the university employees would not be able to buy the gifts or the food for Christmas dinner that they had planned. Those who had enough money saved were OK, but those who lived pay-packet to pay-packet (as I do in the U.S.) were facing a harsh holiday weekend.

pparently, the Iasi treasury (and treasuries in other cities too) was out of money because the National Bank in Bucharest had run out of hard-currency reserves, or whatever it needed to send government money to the county and city governments on time. Those employees whose payday had come the previous week were fortunate--apparently some public-sector divisions had received their pay early, which obviously contributed to the current lack of funds. The university pay-packets came the next week, on the 27th and 28th.

long with the government running out of money, some of the shops seemed to run out of goods at the same time, just before Christmas and New Year's Day. Whether this is the result of panic buying or decreased supply, the end result is the same: empty shelves. The flip-side of empty shelves are the long lines when the G.I.Q. (good in question) DOES come in. For the past two weeks, actually since I got back from my trip, there has been a constant long line at the AVICOLA market around the corner from my apartment bloc. This market stocks only meat and eggs. It was likely a combination of the holiday season (big meals) and the old shopping mentality (when you see a line, get in it and buy as much as you can) which led to the situation I saw. No eggs left, after everyone had bought their bagful or boxful (yes, BOXFUL!). Eggs had been 170-180 lei each just before I left on my trip. Now they are 240, when you can find them.

he other thing that got swiped off the shelves before I had time to blink my eyes was the DORNA mineral water. Either a lot of mixed drinks were being made, or some hangover cures being concocted (with the eggs too?!?). I don't drink the tap water, so I was in a bind, I was way behind, I was willin' to make a deal...I bought a couple of bottles of wine instead. What the hell, it's New Year's Eve!

n Christmas night I had seen a fireworks show from a distance--I suppose it was at the Palace of Culture--but I had no idea there would be a fireworks show on Christmas. Might it have something to do with the demise of the late dictator on Christmas Day, 1989? Or are fireworks a long-standing tradition on Christmas? I also noticed that there was a lot of caroling going on. I don't remember much caroling in the U.S., but then I grew up in Los Angeles and so perhaps I'm not the typical American. Mostly pairs or groups of children, but also some adults, go from house to house singing the Christmas carols ('colinde' in Romanian). On New Year's Eve, and in fact for the whole intervening week, the carols are replaced by drums, horns, whistles, goatskin coats, and masks as the merry (sometimes drunkenly so) youths cavort about the neighborhoods. Of course firecrackers and cherry bombs are de rigeur for any reveler with an attitude.

had hoped to get out of Iasi for the New Year celebrations, to one of the winter resorts in the Carpathians, but all the places were booked, and besides I had no one to go with. I've met some of the other Americans in Iasi (Peace Corps volunteers and English teachers) since returning from my trip, so I'll be spending a relatively quiet Auld Lang Syne in this Jassy-jazzy hip-hoppin' be-boppin' burg on the Bahlui.

La Multi Ani 1996!!!

P.S. I really apologize for the lateness of my "Happy New Year 1996!" greeting. After a month, the monitor has finally been fixed on the computer I usually use. I resolve to be more punctual this year... ;)