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One resident we met in the capital, Asmara, told us that to buy a 1986 Toyota Corolla car, he had to make monthly withdrawals of 5,000 nakfa for 11 months.

There is an exemption for weddings, which are usually big ceremonies costing more than 5,000 nakfa.

If a wedding is coming up, the host has to go to the offices of the local government administration to get officials to write a letter to his bank, saying he should be allowed to withdraw more than 5,000 nakfa.

Most are paid roughly four hundred nakfa, or thirty dollars, a month.

After a few months, though, he reconnected with a high-school friend, Mikal, and started going with her to Harnet Avenue at night, strolling from café to café or going to Cinema Hamsien, where they could watch Indian movies for a few nakfa.