Wombs of World War 2 

Time crawled, dates changed. August 31^st was gone, September 1, 1939, stood there, a ghost for all.

One could see the darkness spreading all around as the sun rose over the horizon, marking its arrival. This was because the Germans had attacked the Polish border. Some real screams of the dead were heard. Many silent screams were heard, not by the ears, but by the ears of the heart—a prediction of what more was to come. Everyone’s eyes saw the blue river appearing red today, in the sky of doomsday. Everyone was dead silent, expressionless with a single thought – “Whatever is to come, will we have anyone by our side to lend us shoulders?”. This thought was frightening, and it squeezed the heart out of anyone. 

Hanna lived with her only son in Toruń. She was divorced from her husband who was a famous Polish writer and journalist. She was a single mother, and she raised her son all by herself who later joined the army.  The order had come, and her son had already left to fight the war from Poland’s side, following the mobilisation and careful, strategic organisation of the Polish army which became really chaotic due to German invasion. Since Toruń was a military hub, he never knew before he left that he would be told to join a unit that will be sent to Warsaw to fight, and many of the soldiers will perish on the way. 

The day before he was going, she couldn’t think of anything else except his going. In the evening, she sat at the old armchair in her living room, keeping the lights off except for a dim bulb. She sat expressionless with tears just flowing down, and her son sat on the floor with his head on his mother’s lap and kept staring ahead. 

That night, he slept cuddled to her, and she held him like a baby. The next morning, he got dressed, ate his favourite breakfast made by his mother, and started putting on his boots to leave. She walked towards the door with trembling legs and couldn’t control her tears. She couldn’t explain how scared and uneasy she felt.

“Promise me, you’ll take good care of yourself,” he said, his wet eyes full of emotion. 

“I will,” she somehow managed to reply. She kissed his forehead and combed his hair with her hands. He left, then, and she stood there until his body disappeared from her sight. 

She went back in and lay on the bed fatigued and weak due to the immense stress had taken over. Her eyes, now wrinkled, suddenly became too tired, and her face grew pale and dull due to the tension – what would happen to her son? She was finding it too difficult to survive a few hours after he had gone, she thought about how would she manage to live all these days as he would come back after months. 

She could barely eat anything, always thinking about what condition her son would be in at that moment, and could never find herself at peace. As days crawled by, she would keep her hand on her heart as she heard the casualties from the neighbours. She also kept track of what was happening in the neighbourhood, who came and who went. She hardly ever got to listen to the radio as Toruń had been occupied by the Germans by the end of the first week of September, and this was followed by the gradual forbidding to listen to foreign BBC radio and Polish radio stations which were the main sources to get to know about the proceedings of the war. To gather information about what was really happening at the site of fighting or to learn about the real sufferings of the people, returning soldiers, local authorities passing by, and neighbours were the only sources of information about any new news and harm done. She waited daily, and asked her neighbour about who came back, and who departed to heaven. The feeling of dependency, and not knowing immediately what had happened was very difficult to tackle. 

During the Siege of Warsaw in September 1939, Civilians were being killed, and even the soldiers were dying. This news sent chills down her spine; she didn’t know where her son was. She was torn apart between negative thoughts, great worry, and a little bit of hope that everything would be all right. She used to sit all day with her eyes closed, praying for him and sending him blessings of long life. She hoped it reached him. But did this Great War care about anyone’s sufferings? Definitely not. 

She woke up one day, and was way too tired that day, and mostly lay down. She had taken an immense amount of stress which had clearly degraded her mental well-being and physical health. There were no thoughts in her mind that day, just his face going on in her head. 

The next day, while she sat on the sofa lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt pain in her stomach. She couldn’t figure out why, but it didn’t go away. Two days later, she was told that Warsaw had been besieged and had to surrender. She felt restless, and sat every day the upcoming days at the entrance of the willing to spot her son from the very few soldiers who were returning. Sadly, she couldn’t spot him coming home. 

Many days later, in the last week of October, a gentleman knocked upon the door of her house. She didn’t recognise him but welcomed him inside the living room. 

“I must sadly tell you that your son has sacrificed his life for our country, and has departed to heaven,” he said with moist eyes as his voice trembled, his hands shook, and he couldn’t look into the eyes of the mother. 

Hanna sat there expressionless, eyes wide open, and she forgot to respond. She felt as if she had fallen into a black hole and was sinking down and down. 

“How did you come to know?”, she managed to control her emotions and ask him. 

“ You have never met me, but I live quite a few crossroads away from here. I met him on the day we were being sent to Warsaw. We were the few lucky ones who managed to go and fight in Warsaw.  There we fought bravely on the streets of the city. Some soldiers who had spent a full day fighting, used to go back to the basement of a school that had been shut down during the war. We would rest at night along with other soldiers, we were both among them. Every night we hid in the basement, and we would see who had come back. The one who hadn’t come back had gone to heaven for sure. The day your son passed away, I scanned through the entire basement, but he was nowhere to be seen, and never came back. Then two days later, all the other fellow soldiers who were most of the time seen with him, were worried about his absence. This news might look uncertain, but trust me as I am also a soldier, and I have seen many of them die, your son is dead, as the one soldier with whom he mostly fought and was mostly there with him didn’t know where your son was. This probable news is the only thing what the families get.  But very shortly, Warsaw had been besieged, and I was a captured soldier. With great difficulty and immense risk I managed to escape. I decided to disguise myself as a civilian, got rid of my uniform, and ran away with difficulty. I blended in with many Polish people who were moving around. I walked down long rural routes, moving at night and taking food and water from the kind people whose homes I passed by. I came back home yesterday”. 

She couldn’t control her tears after listening to this. She started yelling and sobbing and beating the sofa with her hands. He tried comforting her, but he knew nothing could help her except bringing her son back. 

“I can’t even see the dead body of the child I nurtured in my womb for nine months,” she said as her pain knew no bounds. 

“I live at the sixth crossroad. Tell me if you need anything. Take care,” that was all he could manage to say and he left her alone to heal herself. 

She sat at the window of her bedroom. Her eyes saw a bird chirping loudly, crying in its language and panicking, as she came back to the tree finding her egg broken and fallen on the ground. Now, she couldn’t control herself. She started weeping and moaning and cursing god. She felt as if her womb, which nurtured her son and shed blood to let him out into the world, was now being stabbed and set on fire. She cried for hours nonstop, seeing his photos and begging him to come back. Her emotional pain had now converted to physical pain. The burning sensations throughout her body and the immense weakness she experienced were nothing compared to the terrible pain one experiences while giving birth to a child. She sobbed loudly, her hand on her womb. 

“Why?”, this immensely loud cry of hers echoed through the silent neighbourhood filled with the vacuum of terror and hopelessness. It shook the souls of those who heard this haunting cry, as nobody could understand why this war had to take place. People lost their limbs, were burnt alive when bombs fell upon them, some starved and many lost their children and loved ones, but what problem in the world can be so big for the leaders of their countries to give rise to such a bloodshed, nobody could understand this. 

The next day, she couldn’t bear it and thought of committing suicide. She wanted to go back to her son. She had prepared herself to burn herself alive, and just at that moment came a voice – the last words her son had spoken to her. He wanted her to take care of herself. But how could she when she had died from the inside now? She continued to live for him, fulfilling his last wish, like an almost-dead person, until death actually came to her. 

She prayed for death to come, for days, but she knew she had to live for him. That’s when she one day stood up, and re-assembled his crate. She made soft balls of his clothes which carried a very slight scent of him into the shape of a baby, and fixed his photograph on it. That’s where she was always, singing his favourite lullaby to that baby she had made. Seeing it, she was sure that just like how this lullaby made this baby sleep, it would also reach to her son resting peacefully in heaven. 

Hanna used to learn about these events days after what had happened through the neighbours and trusted people who were a part of the tiny, secret and illegal presses who told people to pass on the course of events as they met other people; and the ones who could bring in the courage of listening to forbidden radios which was prohibited by the Germans and could bring a death sentence. Every time she learnt any horrible news, she became more and more ashamed of being a human. But there was more tragedy to follow her. 

On the night of 25^th October 1939, German officers banged her door. When she opened the door, she came to find out that they had come to capture her as she was the ex-wife of a famous Polish journalist who was actively spreading nationalism among Polish people and was caught running an illegal and secret press that informed the people, hence she was also misunderstood in being an influential nationalist. The Germans arrested anyone who could be a part of spreading Polish nationalism, or if they were linked by relation to any such elite person and were assumed to be guilty. There she was being taken away, with very few basic belongings like a few clothes. She carried her son from his crate and tried to hide it from their eyes but couldn’t. Those German soldiers quickly examined her and told her to hand over. As she handed it over to them, and they saw that photo, they threw her assembled baby on the floor and did not allow her to take it with her. 

“Please I beg you, I will do whatever you say, I will obey you and go where ever you tell me to. He is dead, this is all his memory I can have with me,” she begged them as she wept looking at the photograph of her son on her baby that had been thrown on the floor. They dragged her away to Fort VII, and there kept her with other many captured Polish people. She was always kept in extreme hunger, and in poor conditions, letting her shiver if she felt cold. That incident, when they didn’t allow her to keep her son’s clothes and photo, had made a serious impact on her. She screamed and wailed loudly, and shivered continuously murmuring. “I want him back,” she used to yell.  

But there was good news awaiting her. She was one of the many guilty nationalistic Poles were taken from the Fort VII in Poznań to the Barbarka Forest to execute them. They were killed here as these forests were away from the normal areas where people lived and getting rid of those dead bodies would be easier here in these forests. She could now go and reunite with her son in heaven – the moment for which she was yearning and tormenting for so long now. She was shot by the Germans and blessed the soul who freed her from this suffering of maternal loss as she fell down on the ground. 

Shlok Pandey is a 17-year-old Indian writer who is a student of a completely different field and practices writing and reading in the very little spare time he can manage from his studies. His stories have appeared in the Wise Owl Magazine, Setu Journal, The Drift and Dribble Miscellany and Wildflower Post and his poems have appeared in/ forthcoming in The Crossroads Review, cloudymoon lit mag, The Utrecht Pigeon Magazine, Poetic Practice and Aesterion magazine.

What It Really Means to Grow Up

Growing up never came to me as a clear turning point—it arrived quietly, almost in the background of ordinary days. I used to imagine adulthood as a stage where everything finally makes sense, where decisions feel natural and confidence is constant. But the first time I truly felt something shift was much less impressive. I remember making a decision I thought was right at the time—nothing dramatic, just something small I didn’t think through carefully. Later, when things didn’t go as expected, there was no one to correct it for me, no one to take over. I had to sit with the result and admit, at least to myself, that it was my responsibility. That moment stayed with me, not because it was big, but because it felt honest. It made me realize that growing up isn’t about having control over everything—it’s about accepting that you don’t, and still taking ownership of your choices.

Over time, I began to notice how much of growing up is tied to uncertainty. There were situations where I had to decide something important—what direction to take, what to prioritize, when to let go of something that no longer felt right—and I didn’t feel ready for any of it. I kept waiting for a moment where everything would feel clear, where I would feel completely sure. But that moment never really came. Instead, I acted while still doubting myself. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn’t, but each time I understood a little more. I realized that confidence is not something you have before making decisions—it’s something you build after facing the consequences of them. That shift changed how I see progress. It’s not about avoiding mistakes anymore; it’s about being able to continue despite them.

       Another quiet change happened in how I see people. I used to think in simple terms—someone is either right or wrong, kind or not, trustworthy or not. But real experiences made those categories feel too small. I’ve had moments where someone disappointed me, even though I believed they wouldn’t, and other moments where someone showed unexpected understanding when I needed it most. It forced me to pause before judging too quickly. I started to realize that people carry things you don’t always see—stress, fear, personal struggles—and sometimes their actions reflect that more than their intentions. Growing up, for me, meant learning to look beyond first reactions and trying to understand before forming conclusions. It didn’t make everything easier, but it made things more real.

At the same time, I had to learn how to deal with my own emotions in a more honest way. There were times when I felt overwhelmed or frustrated, and my first instinct was to ignore it, distract myself, or pretend it didn’t matter. But those feelings don’t disappear—they stay, quietly affecting your thoughts and reactions. I remember a situation where I almost responded impulsively to something that upset me, but instead I chose to step back and think about it later. That small decision—to pause—changed the outcome completely. It made me understand that growing up isn’t about not feeling anything deeply; it’s about not letting those feelings control everything you do. It’s a slow process, learning when to speak, when to stay silent, and when to simply give yourself time.

My expectations of life have also changed in ways I didn’t expect. I used to believe that if you worked hard and stayed consistent, things would naturally fall into place. And while effort does matter, reality doesn’t always follow that pattern. There have been moments where I did everything I thought was right and still didn’t get the result I hoped for. At first, that felt frustrating, even unfair. But gradually, I began to understand that life doesn’t owe us predictable outcomes. What matters more is how you respond when things don’t go according to plan. That realization didn’t make things easier, but it made them clearer. It shifted my focus from trying to control everything to learning how to adapt.

What surprised me the most is that growing up isn’t about losing who you were before. It’s not about becoming cold, overly serious, or detached from your own hopes. In fact, I feel like I understand myself better now than I did before. The difference is that my expectations are more grounded. I still care about things deeply, but I’ve learned where to invest my energy so it doesn’t drain me completely. I still have goals, but I no longer expect them to happen quickly or perfectly. Growing up, in that sense, feels less like changing into someone else and more like becoming more aware of yourself—your limits, your strengths, and your patterns.

       In the end, what feels most real is that growing up is not a destination you reach, but a way you learn to move through life. It’s in the small decisions, the quiet reflections, the moments when you choose responsibility over comfort. I still don’t have everything figured out, and I don’t think anyone truly does. But I’ve learned to stand by my choices, to accept uncertainty without letting it stop me, and to keep moving forward even when things feel unclear. Maybe that’s what growing up really means—not having all the answers, but being willing to live honestly without them.

By Sevara Matnazarova 

From Khorezm, Uzbekistan

History of Uzbekistan: Stages of Development from Ancient Times to Independence

University of Business and Science, Faculty of History, student of group 22-06, Muhammadyusuf Kozimjonov

Abstract 

This article analyzes the stages of Uzbekistan’s historical development from ancient times to independence. The study examines early states formed in the region, including Sogdiana and Bactria, within the broader context of historical processes. It also highlights the political, economic, and cultural significance of the period of Amir Timur during the medieval era. The research is based on historical, comparative, and source-analysis methods. The findings indicate that the territory of Uzbekistan developed as an important center of civilization across different periods, with a continuous and interconnected historical evolution. The article aims to provide a systematic overview of the key stages of Uzbekistan’s history.

Keywords: History of Uzbekistan, ancient period, medieval period, statehood, Silk Road, culture, independence.

Introduction 

The territory of Uzbekistan has long been one of the key centers of human civilization. Since ancient times, this region has been characterized by the development of advanced culture, science, and statehood traditions. Located in the heart of Central Asia, it has served as a crossroads of various civilizations, states, and peoples throughout history. In particular, the Silk Road played a crucial role in fostering economic growth and cultural exchange in the region.

The history of Uzbekistan can be divided into several major periods: ancient times, the medieval era, the modern period, and the period leading up to independence. Each of these stages has distinct political, economic, and cultural characteristics that significantly contributed to the country’s development. In ancient times, states such as Sogdiana and Bactria emerged, while in later periods, the empire of Amir Timur left a profound mark on the region’s political and cultural life.

This article examines the stages of Uzbekistan’s historical development from ancient times to independence, highlighting the distinctive features of each period based on scholarly analysis.

Literature Review 

The study of Uzbekistan’s history from ancient times to independence is based on a wide range of scholarly works by both local and international researchers. In particular, the works of Vasily Bartold provide a comprehensive scientific analysis of Central Asian history, offering valuable insights into the region’s political and cultural development. Additionally, archaeological research conducted by Sergey Tolstov has played a significant role in uncovering the history of ancient civilizations, especially that of Khorezm.

The contributions of Boris Gafurov are also essential in understanding the historical processes of Central Asia, as his works present a holistic analysis of the region’s development. Furthermore, studies by Uzbek scholars such as A. Askarov and E. Rtveladze have significantly enriched the understanding of different historical periods in Uzbekistan.

For the medieval period, written sources such as “History of Bukhara” by Narshakhi serve as key references. Likewise, the work “Zafarnama” by Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi is an essential source for studying the era of Amir Timur.

In the modern period, research on Uzbekistan’s history has evolved significantly, especially after independence, with new methodological approaches and interpretations. Publications by the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan have contributed greatly to reassessing and objectively presenting national history. Overall, the existing body of literature provides a comprehensive foundation for studying the various stages of Uzbekistan’s historical development.

Methodology 

This study employs a комплекс of scientific approaches to examine the stages of Uzbekistan’s historical development from ancient times to independence. The research is based on the principles of historicism and logical analysis, meaning that historical events are analyzed in their chronological sequence and in terms of cause-and-effect relationships.

A comparative-historical method is used to identify similarities and differences between various historical periods and to reveal their developmental trends. In addition, a системatic analysis approach is applied to study the interconnections between different political entities that existed in the region, including Sogdiana and Bactria.

The source-based (historiographical) approach plays a key role in the research. Written and archaeological sources are critically analyzed, including important works such as History of Bukhara and Zafarnama. Furthermore, modern scholarly publications, particularly those issued by the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, are utilized to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

The study also employs methods of analysis, synthesis, and generalization to construct an integrated view of historical processes. This methodological framework allows for a thorough and systematic exploration of the different stages in the history of Uzbekistan.

Results and Discussion 

The results of the study indicate that the historical development of the territory of Uzbekistan has evolved in a consistent and stage-by-stage manner, with each period characterized by distinct socio-political and cultural features. In ancient times, the emergence of states such as Sogdiana and Bactria demonstrates the early formation of statehood in the region. During this period, trade and economic relations flourished, particularly through the Silk Road, which enhanced the region’s international significance.

In the medieval period, the region became a major center of science and culture. The empire established by Amir Timur ensured political stability and created favorable conditions for economic and cultural growth. Significant achievements were made in science, architecture, and urban development.

During the modern and especially the colonial period, the political independence of the region was limited; however, notable transformations occurred in the socio-economic system. Industrialization processes and new administrative structures were introduced, although these changes often served external interests rather than local needs.

On the eve of independence, there was a growing awareness of national identity and a renewed interest in historical heritage. This created the foundation for re-evaluating history and restoring national statehood traditions in the independence period.

The discussion highlights that all stages of Uzbekistan’s history are closely interconnected, with the achievements and challenges of one period directly influencing subsequent developments. Therefore, a comprehensive and systematic approach is essential for understanding the country’s historical evolution.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the territory of Uzbekistan has long been one of the significant centers of human civilization, with a historical development that has evolved consistently through distinct stages. The emergence of early states such as Sogdiana and Bactria demonstrates the deep roots of statehood traditions in the region. During the medieval period, the era of Amir Timur marked a time of political stability and remarkable achievements in science and culture.

Although later historical periods, particularly the colonial era, had complex and sometimes adverse impacts on the region’s development, the process of national identity formation continued. This process intensified on the eve of independence, laying a strong foundation for the restoration of historical heritage and the development of national statehood.

Overall, all stages of Uzbekistan’s history are closely interconnected, with each period contributing to subsequent development. Therefore, a comprehensive and systematic study of the country’s past is essential not only for academic purposes but also for strengthening national identity and guiding future progress.

References 

[1] V. V. Vasily Bartold, Turkestan Down to the Mongol Invasion. London, UK: Luzac & Co., 1928.

[2] S. P. Sergey Tolstov, Ancient Khorezm. Moscow, Russia: USSR Academy of Sciences, 1948.

[3] B. G. Boris Gafurov, Tajiks: Ancient, Ancient, and Medieval History. Moscow, Russia: Nauka, 1972.

[4] A. Askarov, The Beginning of the Early Iron Age Culture in Central Asia. Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Fan, 1993.

[5] E. V. Rtveladze, Civilizations, States and Cultures of Central Asia. Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan, 2005.

[6] Narshakhi, History of Bukhara. Cambridge, UK: Harvard University Press, 1954.

[7] Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi, Zafarnama. Tehran, Iran: Institute of Oriental Studies, 1957.

[8] R. N. Frye, The Heritage of Central Asia. Princeton, NJ, USA: Markus Wiener Publishers, 1996.

[9] P. B. Golden, Central Asia in World History. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2011.

[10] C. E. Bosworth, The New Islamic Dynasties. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1996.

[11] D. Sinor (Ed.), The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1990.

[12] J. E. Curtis and N. Tallis (Eds.), Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia. Berkeley, CA, USA: University of California Press, 2005.

[13] A. Khalid, The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform. Berkeley, CA, USA: University of California Press, 1998.

[14] O‘zbekiston Fanlar akademiyasi, O‘zbekiston tarixi (ko‘p jildli). Toshkent, O‘zbekiston, 2010.

[15] Sh. Kamoliddin, Ancient Cities of Uzbekistan. Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Fan, 2012.

Ways to Improve the Efficiency of the Service Sector in Uzbekistan

Kattakurgan State Pedagogical Institute
Student of the Economics (Branches and Sectors) program

Azamova Feruza Abduholiq qizi

E-mail: azamovaferuza68@gmail.com
Tel: +998-95-373-76-78
ORCID ID: 0009-0000-6122-5666

Abstract:This article analyzes the role of the service sector in the economy of Uzbekistan, its current level of development, and ways to improve its efficiency. The service sector constitutes a significant share of the country’s gross domestic product and plays an important role in ensuring employment. The study examines existing problems in the service sector, including low service quality, insufficient level of digitalization, and lack of qualified personnel. The results show that the introduction of innovative technologies, digitalization of services, improvement of human capital, and the development of effective management systems are key factors in enhancing the efficiency of the sector. In addition, the need to improve state support mechanisms and expand private sector participation is substantiated.

Keywords:service sector, efficiency, digitalization, innovation, service quality, management, economic development

Introduction

In the modern economy, the service sector is one of the fastest-growing industries. The experience of developed countries shows that the share of services in the economy plays a dominant role and becomes a key driver of economic growth. In Uzbekistan, special attention has been paid in recent years to the development of the service sector. In particular, large-scale reforms are being implemented to increase the volume of services, create new jobs, and improve the standard of living of the population.

However, despite these efforts, a number of problems still exist in this sector. In particular, insufficient service quality, low level of adoption of modern technologies, and underdeveloped service culture negatively affect efficiency. The purpose of this study is to identify scientifically grounded ways to improve the efficiency of the service sector in Uzbekistan.

Methods

This study is grounded in a systematic and integrative approach to analyzing the development trends of the service sector in Uzbekistan. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the subject. In particular, economic analysis was used to evaluate the role and contribution of the service sector to national economic growth, while comparative analysis allowed for the examination of differences between Uzbekistan and selected international benchmarks.

Statistical data were collected from national and international sources and were processed through generalization and trend analysis techniques to identify key patterns in service sector development. Additionally, elements of empirical observation were applied to assess real-world practices within service enterprises.

A review of international experience was conducted to identify best practices in improving service efficiency, especially in countries with advanced service economies. Furthermore, the study incorporated a factor analysis approach to determine the key drivers influencing service sector efficiency, including digitalization level, workforce qualifications, management practices, and market competitiveness. This multi-method approach ensured the reliability and validity of the research findings.

Results

The results of the study reveal several strategic directions for improving efficiency in the service sector of Uzbekistan. First, the acceleration of digitalization processes has a significant positive impact on both the speed and quality of service delivery. The integration of electronic services, digital platforms, and automated systems reduces operational costs, minimizes human error, and enhances customer satisfaction by providing faster and more accessible services.

Second, the improvement of human capital within the service sector emerged as a critical factor. The findings indicate that organizations with highly skilled and well-trained employees demonstrate higher service quality, better customer interaction, and increased operational efficiency. Continuous professional development, training programs, and education initiatives are therefore essential for sustainable sector growth.

Third, the adoption of customer-oriented management systems was identified as a key determinant of service efficiency. Businesses that actively incorporate customer feedback, personalize services, and implement modern customer relationship management (CRM) practices achieve stronger customer loyalty and competitive advantage.

In addition, the expansion of small businesses and private entrepreneurship plays a vital role in enhancing market dynamics. Increased competition within the service market encourages innovation, improves service standards, and drives firms to optimize their performance. The study also finds that regions with higher levels of entrepreneurial activity tend to exhibit more diversified and resilient service sectors.

Overall, the results highlight that a combination of digital transformation, human capital development, effective management strategies, and competitive market structures is essential for significantly improving the efficiency of the service sector.

Discussion

The results of the study show that a comprehensive approach is necessary for the development of the service sector. In particular, it is important to widely introduce innovative technologies, develop digital infrastructure, and improve service quality control systems.

Moreover, strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors, attracting investments, and improving support mechanisms for the service sector are essential. International experience demonstrates that the development of the service sector is a key factor in ensuring economic stability.

Conclusion

In conclusion, improving the efficiency of the service sector in Uzbekistan requires the implementation of digitalization, innovation, enhancement of human capital, and the establishment of effective management systems. These measures will contribute to improving service quality, meeting consumer needs, and ensuring sustainable economic growth.

References

1. World Bank. (2023). World Development Report 2023: Digitalization for Development. Washington, DC: World Bank.
2. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2022). Enhancing the Contributions of SMEs in a Global and Digitalised Economy. Paris: OECD Publishing.
3. United Nations. (2021). World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021. New York: United Nations.
4. State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Statistics. (2024). Statistical Review of Uzbekistan. Tashkent.
5. Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (2023). Annual Report on Economic Development. Tashkent.
6. Asian Development Bank. (2022). Uzbekistan: Country Partnership Strategy 2022–2026. Manila: ADB.
7. International Monetary Fund. (2023). Republic of Uzbekistan: Staff Report for the 2023 Article IV Consultation. Washington, DC: IMF.

Beyond the Extraordinary or of Joseph Conrad (Experience, Language, Hard Work, and Genius)

Many of the scholars and documentaries and such rightly claim that numerous things contributed to Joseph Conrad’s highly successful and monumental canon of literature. They point out his multiple languages, plus a passion for the sea and written word, and the study and hard work, plus an immense dedication to craft and truth both. But, though that’s all obviously true, in reading him there is something more, and it’s that he was possessed of genius. And in two ways. 

One part of his genius was in seeing, and he himself said that above all he wanted to make people see. And the other half was in expression, in writing. He saw and he wrote. Many people speak multiple languages, and several are writers and poets, but is there anyone that can turn every sentence into gold like Conrad? Little or few. And in a climate modern where sparseness and brevity is lauded as a fashion for some odd reason, his golden descriptive sentences shine even brighter, turning the idea of telling a story into something immensely valuable. Conrad can show the way back to true storytelling and literature. 

Therefore, it is a sea worker’s life and experience, the languages, the interest, and hard work, but, nature or God also added genius to the mix. If you look closely, even though there are several that can turn sentences that are extraordinary, there are few that can go beyond the extraordinary into something else entirely. 

Salar de Uyuni*

Lee Yeon-su

I turned the desert upside down

I part my lips and let salt bloom

I came face to face between desert and sky

The husks shed by salt-tree fruits on all sides

murmur their sentences

I roll in the salty garment the sea has taken off

Uyuni, in the traces of having collapsed,

gathered the sloughed skins the foam left behind

Forbidden tears ripened and burst — the salt

stacked its body, rising on the tips of pillars

It is an unknowable origin that resembles a mirror

You, who have not evaporated,

are crossing the desert you once swam through

on milk-white ice floes,

drifting, drifting, drifting

I lean my chest back — all night, white grains of sand

keep spilling out from my mouth

With the clouds the sky has spat out,

the loose space between us brings

a lengthened shadow trailing behind —

greetings and farewells in one

In every chest where white sand grains mutter,

a mirror flickers, and a saltiness keeps rising

Where has the face that hung in the sky gone —

even shattered beneath my feet,

I return again,

and even overturned, reflected,

it is a face that cannot be erased

* Salar de Uyuni: the world’s largest salt flat, located in Bolivia

소금사막 우유니*

이연수

사막을 뒤집었다

입술을 열어 소금을 피운다

사막과 하늘 사이 마주했다

사방 소금나무 열매가 쏟아놓은 각질들이 

문장을 웅얼거린다

바다가 벗어놓은 짠 기운 옷으로 뒹군다

우유니는 주저 앉은 흔적으로

포말이 내어놓은 허물을 모았다

금지된 눈물이 익어 터진 소금은

기둥으로 발끝을 세워 몸을 쌓았다

거울을 닮은 알 수 없는 기원이다

증발하지 않은 너는 

헤엄친 사막을 우유빛 유빙으로

둥둥둥 건너고 있다

가슴 젖히니 밤새 하얀 모래알

자꾸만 입으로 흘러나온다

하늘이 뱉어 낸 구름으로

헐렁한 사이는 마중과 배웅으로

길어진 그림자 끌고 온다

하얀 모래알이 주절대는 가슴마다

거울이 반짝이고 간기가 자꾸만 솟아오른다

하늘에 걸린 얼굴은 어디로 가고 

발아래에서 쪼개져도

내가 다시 돌아와

뒤집혀도 반사되어

지워지지 않는 얼굴이다

*소금사막 우유니 : 볼리비아 포토시주(州)의 우유니 서쪽 끝에 있는 소금으로 뒤덮인 사막.

​Blue Hole

Lee Yeon-su

Topaz sapphire pearl jewel-sea of the Red Sea

A blue hole is a cave filled with unusually blue seawater

Somewhere, endlessly — once you enter

A sinkhole in the sea begins, from which you cannot escape

A trap, on the day I must descend into the blue water?

Between the thinned surface, a computer’s power light flickers

Shall I dip my ankle in — I hold my breath, bubbles rise gurgling

The breath I filled myself with swims, transparent ears drift

The diver steadies their breathing and turns toward the bottom

Cobalt-colored shallows and sea urchins blooming like red flowers

Lotte World Gyro Drop, spinning and dizzy

As I rise, the held breath floats up

The moment the crown of my head strikes the sky

A vertiginous 2 seconds of weightlessness on the way down

Gathering my whole body, hoping not to be discarded

I shut my eyes tight and grip my hands hard

The speed of falling

I had a dream — the days I laughed brightly as a child,

The playground seesaw creaking and groaning

I surrendered my body to the children’s cheers and movement

A husky voice flowing from the radio

The film Begin Again, and the song

Lost Stars — guitar notes ringing out

Like a star that has lost its way

A blue sports car racing down the road

Hair streaming above my forehead

It was the day the wind blew and I left home

The underwater cave, like the cut cross-section of a bell pepper

Someone’s hands and feet refracted, rippling

Lifted their head, wagged their tail toward the surface

A cursor blinks in the deep sea —

Click

블루홀

이연수

토파즈 사파이어 진주 홍해의 보석 바다

블루홀은 유난히 푸른 바닷물로 가득 찬 동굴이다 

어디 한 부분 끝없이 한번 들어가면 

헤어나지 못하는 바다 속 싱크홀 시작된다

푸른 물속으로 들어가야 하는 날 함정이라니?

얇아진 수면사이 컴퓨터 전원이 반짝거려 

발목을 넣어볼까 숨을 참는다 기포가 뽀글뽀글 솟아오르고 

가득 채운 숨은 헤엄쳐 투명한 귀는 떠다닌다 

다이버 호흡을 고르고 바닥을 향하여 

코발트 빛 여울과 붉은 꽃으로 피어난 성게들

롯데월드 자이로드롭 뱅글뱅글 어지럽다

올라가는 사이 참던 숨이 떠오른다

하늘에 정수리가 부딪힌 순간

아찔하다 내려오는 무중력 2초

온몸을 모아 버려지지 않기를 

눈을 질끈 감고 손을 꽉 쥐었다

추락의 속도를

​

꿈을 꾸었다 어렸을 적 환하게 웃던 날, 

놀이터 시소는 삐그덕 거린채 

아이들 환호성 소리와 움직임에 따라 몸을 내맡겼다

라디오에서 흘러나오는 허스키한 목소리

영화 비긴 어게인과 노래 그리고

‘Lost Stars’ 기타소리 울려 퍼져 

길을 잃어버린 별처럼

도로 위에 파란 스포츠카 질주하고

머리카락이 이마위에서 휘날리고

바람이 부는 방향으로 집을 떠난 날이었다

물속에 잠긴 동굴은 피망의 잘린 단면처럼

누군가 손과 발이 굴절되어 일렁인 채

고개를 쳐들어 수면을 향해 꼬리를 흔들었다

바다 속 커서는 깜박인다

클릭하기를 

​

Living in One’s Own World

“You just go on living in your own world！”

With these words, a door slams shut in a distant wood.

The fire flickers for a moment,

a thoughtful face brightening and dimming.

With these words, the planet quickly splits into many more.

On one side lies a desolate sea,

on the other, a barren desert.

Quadrilateral light rises in the night sky,

compressed by an inner reflux,

shifting among several possibilities.

Streets keep branching out from where he stands,

branching more and more

past every monument they meet.

Night falls like a curtain around his feet,

he is a statue waiting to be unveiled,

magma glowing inside him.

Refuse to Wake

In the south of the Yangtze in March, grass grows and warblers fly,

yet I still feel no warmth.

My heart remains like a block of chemically infused ice,

I have tried every means to thaw it,

all in vain, wine no longer ignites passion.

I have nothing to say to anyone, save for teaching

and going to the cafeteria. I lock myself away indoors,

drawing all curtains to block the unkind light.

I know the outside world is still the same outside.

Nature runs by a cruel law—

no mercy, no love, only mutual devouring.

A magpie pecks a soft thing on the lawn,

flies up to the bare branches of a parasol tree, 

its tail vibrating to keep balance. 

All things kill one another to survive, 

The universe drifts toward heat death.

I hurry to read on the south balcony while daylight lasts,

I read only books written by saints—

they murmur in deserts, on pillars, or in caves,

words no one can make out,

yet I possess endless patience for this.

Sunlight occasionally illuminates a fragile sentence,

like a spotlight framing an actor fainting in slow motion.

My longing for spiritual experience overwhelms all other needs,

yet those words and logics still bring no warmth,

sunlight reveals more dust.

I believe there is One who governs human history,

I believe local evil may be global good,

I believe when I turn the final page of the book,

something unprecedented will happen.

Yet my heart still tightens. I refuse to wake

to the still heavy reality.

I have spent my whole life in escape.

Late Night in Early March

Deep into the night of early spring,

darkness and spring water flow down the southern slopes of Purple Mountain,

only silent cars occasionally glide past on the street.

I carry Whitman’s heavy Moments of the Soul,

and a bottle of hometown liquor long out of production.

A full decade has passed,

and eight years since you journeyed north to the capital.

Everything has changed, yet nothing seems to have changed at all,

haggardness lingers, unhidden by white hair and night,

two crabs raise their claws and touch,

they will cross the vast starry sky, one after another.

Ancient Town of Tongli, our wandering with two kitchen knives,

Yancheng in Changzhou, frogs croaking amid our rain filling shoes,

the golden glow of rapeseed blooms hides in remote mountains,

the moon and fireflies of Linggu Temple—

I have never seen them again since that day.

This is not our hometown after all,

but where on earth can we call home?

At a small Hot Pot inn, only the two of us remain,

bright lights hang empty, midnight has long passed,

I feel uneasy, time and again, for the inn owner’s toil.

One more drink, brother,

those scattered lights of our conversation

are a silence growing deeper in the dead of night—

concerning faith, like the faint chill of early spring nipping at my shoulders,

ten years ago I came here, at the very age you are now.

Nothing has changed, the earth turns gently,

I watch the taxi’s red taillights flicker and fade away,

a cool wind brushes my fevered forehead,

I stand long on the empty street,

Staring up at the bare treetops of plane trees 

rising higher and higher against the stars.

Evening at Longhill Lake

Wooden villas, sounds crystallized with fragrance,

abstract murals pieced from small blocks of wood.

Lake before, hills behind—

wild expanse, high sky.

Here one may drink and sing aloud,

or keep silence with the wilderness.

The sun sinks west;

a soft breeze drifts like a ship’s wake.

Heaven and earth seem to wait

for a solemn rite to begin.

I need not speak, nor think at all—

abide in a happy, plant-like state:

swaying with the wind, yet still in time.

Twilight falls quietly like a fishing net,

autumn crickets chirp,

dried cow dung glows with its last light,

like pale yellow window paper

soaked soft into pulp,

breathing the scent of paste and raw flour.

The Final Room

You write poems in your final room,

I translate poems in mine,

between us lies the silence of a whole continent,

and a gray, early winter.

You look up now and then toward the far shore,

shadows of trees, an overturned boat,

the deep-yellow roof of a temple,

gradually, you lose track of which afternoon it is—

much as my writing hand moves slower.

Has your Keatsian unease and the fog-shrouded plain,

vanished for a moment? As I set down these lines—

no man is an island, entire of itself or sufficient alone,

as I hesitate between two versions.

By now you must have finished that afternoon poem,

rising, you step onto the balcony to smoke,

glance back at the emptied room,

then gaze long at the wrinkled surface of the lake.

When I pause my work, twilight floods the window

like crowds of murmuring ghosts,

scattering and hiding in rooms that recede one by one,

turn on the light, brother—we are far apart.

Ma Yongbo was born in 1964, Ph.D, representative of Chinese avant-garde poetry, and a leading scholar in Anglo-American poetry. He is the founder of polyphonic writing and objectified poetics. He has published over eighty original works and translations since 1986 included 10 poetry collections. He focused on translating and teaching Anglo-American poetry and prose including the work of Dickinson, Whitman, Stevens, Pound, Amy Lowell Williams, Ashbery and Rosanna Warren. He published a complete translation of Moby Dick, which has sold over 600,000 copies.