no pago

this morning at 7:45am i held a conference call simulation over the phone with a student. it was nice for me. i made a cup of dunkin donuts coffee (a present) before the call and i was already dressed. we talked easily for 1 hour while i was sitting in my apartment.

at 8:45am i ran out the door. colectivo or subte, colectivo or subte....ok, i'll take the colectivo so i made a left. as i was walking to the colectivo stop i realized i only had one peso and 5 centavos (it cost 1.10)....crap crap crap, no time to turn back. maybe a guy will give me 5 centavos? argentine guys are suckers for a pathetic smile and a girl in distress.

man, i waited for-ever for the bus to come. once it arrived i became too bashful to ask for less than 1 U.S. cent. (hey, no one likes to part with their coins here)...so i just stepped aside once i was on the bus and let everyone else pay before me....then i didn't pay. oh i felt so guilty. i didn't know what was worse..not paying or not asking for money? so, i cheated the b.a. bus out of 30 U.S. cents. sorry colectivo.

for my punishment, the colectivo gods put a crazy man behind me. you know...i don't realize how quiet portenos are until one crazy guy talks to himself the whole bus ride. he was the only person talking on the bus and he was right behind me. so, also as another punishment for not paying i was 15 min late to the class. a normal 15 min ride took one hour during rush hour!

once i taught 4 students i was back home by 4. at my last job i would have used the corporate jargon "i had many fires to put out". problems problems....stress stress (nothing that i can't handle though)

so 1/2 of my family is arriving on saturday. yeah! hopefully i'll find money to make it home to see the other half in august? anyway, i want to make sure everything is perfect for their arrival.

they'll be staying in an apartment, so i called the company today only to find out they can't schedule a time to meet to give the apt. keys after their plane arrives, so i'll meet the apartment company at 8:30am on saturday to view the apartment, and get the keys. good thing i called. prob#2. i had a plan for the airport pick up, but the plan was changed today so first thing i did was stress. i think i have a new plan in place to pick up the family, but i'm still working on it. prob#3. i went to take money out of the atm tonight and i was denied. big problem! so i called my bank and they let me know my money wasn't available for withdraw until thursday. i calmly ask the bank guy to give me my money early. i think he could detect a pathetic smile and a girl in distress because after 15 min on the phone (skype) he released my previously transferred funds early, giving me access to my money. few... fires are out!

ah, one more stress.... so a student today asked me "do you celebrate mothers day in the u.s.". "sure we do" i responded. then the student asked "when is it?". "oh it's in may...wait, we're in may...oh no it's this sunday! crap!" i had no idea. i don't see any adverts down here to remind me to buy a card or something. ok, think.....ok, i know what we can do. i need to thank that student!

tonight, too tired and too lazy i went to the near by pizza place. they are also familiar with me. i usually wave as i walk by. but tonight i chatted with the woman while my pizza was in the oven. i told her i teach. she asked me to teach her daughter. she lives close. we chatted some more and i left to have the slice of pizza in my apartment....when i got home i realized i didn't pay!!! (my theme today). but, after my pizza, i went back to the pizza place (it's near) to pay. when i told her i never paid, she didn't even remember herself. nevertheless, i'm glad i repaid one of my debts.