My mother is amazing!! Despite being extremely busy with work, Kristin and Trenton's extra-curricular activities, and other odds and ends...she always saves the day, even when I am halfway around the world. (More on this later...)
The Bad
Where to start....it seems like a multitude of things have gone wrong - from when I sent in my application and they lost it to things like getting sick or breaking my glasses. Saturday night we went to the Chamamé festival in Mburucuyá and all was fine until Maxi wanted to see my glasses. Gaby also wanted to see them, so he handed them to her and then they broke. I just got these glasses in August, so it was quite random that they broke, and I wasn´t really sure what to say. Thankfully I could push it back into the frame and still see because we didn´t leave the festival until 5:30 AM and this was around 3.
Gaby´s mom was going to Corrientes on Monday, so she offered to take my glasses to the eye places and see if they could fix them. Unfortunately, they all said that nothing could be done because the frame was bad. If they glued it, it would only be a matter of time until they fell apart again. Despite my light packing habits here (shocker, I know) I happened to throw in a pair of contacts for my trip to Santa Rosa or I would be as blind as a bat at this point, since the glasses are still in Corrientes.
The Ugly
When I was in Corrientes, on my way to Santa Rosa from Buenos Aires, I went to the ATM to get money. No big deal - other than the fact that every ATM has a huge line 10+ people long, the machines sometimes run out of money and have really low limits. (It's not the limit you have on your card.)
By 11 AM it was already a hot day and there was no breeze. The ATM is housed in what looks like a phone booth and people were taking foreverrrrr once it was their turn. It was finally my turn and I went in and tried to get some money. However, it kept telling me that my magnetic strip was damaged. I had used the card three times prior - once in the States and twice in Buenos Aires. Not too worried, I went to another bank and ATM - same problem. This scenario happened another 6 times before we went inside the bank, took a number and sat down to wait. Everything involving the bank and money involves lots of waiting around in Argentina. When it was finally my turn, they said they couldn't help me and that I should call my bank. Super! I have an ATM card that is identical to the one I used the entire time I was in Corrientes in 2006-07, and never had any problems.
Thankfully, I have an amazing mother and best friend! Ceci texted and called my mother for me since I can´t and my mother called the bank and got me a new card, which I will get in a few weeks when Ceci comes. They also figured out what Western Union service to use and my mother sent me money so I wasn't walking around without money. To clarify, I was never homeless or without food and if I needed money, Nora and Dolfi would lend me money. However, it's much easier to have my own money since it would take forever to pay them back by going to the ATM with their ridiculous limits and expensive fees! To take out $150, it's $6+ in fees.
My wonderful mother also went to the eye doctor and showed them what happened to my glasses, in order for them to make me a new pair. So in a few weeks when Ceci and all of my things arrive, I will be much more relaxed -- with access to money and good eyesight! Just in time for vacation. :-)
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