Saving money, or being stingy, is sort of my specialty. I've learned from the best. (Love you, Mom!) I have been really great about being frugal during my service, careful to never spend too frivolously on something silly. To the point that I would occasionally refrain from eating or splurging on something I may have "deserved." So when I withdrew money about a week or so ago, I thought the new windfall was a blessing from above.
I found that I had over $1500 that I was completely unaware of. A shocking discovery. I knew immediately that there had to be some sort of mix-up. Sadly, I thought the worst of my organization first. So I called the office and tried to sort things out. They were unable to determine the source of the problem, and were unable to correct it. So I went to the bank to deal with the situation. It turned out to be much worse than I expected.
Turns out that the bank switched my debit card with another volunteer's card from the beginning. That is to say, way back in March 2012, when we received our bank account information and cards, the bank had inadvertently placed a debit card affiliated with my account in his sealed envelope, and I had received his. Perhaps it was because our last names both start with B. Who knows? Since I rarely, if not never, interact with the online banking option, I never suspected anything was out of the ordinary. So this guy has been spending my money from the beginning, and I his. Can you believe this?
The bank was being a bit ridiculous. Their first suggestion was to simply switch our cards and allow us to continue with the correct cards. And I replied, "Are you kidding me? How much does my friend have in his account?" "$89." "So you're telling me I should switch to my rightful card, but then lose all the money I believed from the beginning was my own, the account I carefully managed in order to avoid this exact scenario: running super low?" Umm, nuh-uh, Bank. That ain't happening. They threw out that option.
So now, they are going to cross-reference all my transactions with all my deposits to determine the amount I rightly should have. This is good news. Why? My friend has a smaller site, and therefore receives a lower pay rate than I earn. So from the beginning, I have been managing a smaller salary and still making it work, saving a good amount from day one. Now, after this, I might have more money than I started with a week ago. SO COOL.
Bad new is that, in the meantime, they've frozen both our accounts. No big deal for me, but my poor buddy needs that money for a project he's trying to do in his site. And I don't know how much cash he has on hand. I feel bad, but it's the best solution.
In a week, I might just be spending some of that hard-earned cash on something stupid. Maybe even a washing machine. Heaven knows I'd use it.
Seriously, Panama. Playin' with my money, that's like playin' with my emotions.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Thinking about the future
Life here is average. I try not to recount the daily goings-on too often in an attempt to not burden you with my problems. I don't want to keep myself down either. So instead I try to focus on what's good. Unfortunately, one of the only really good things at the moment is having lots of free time, which I usually devote to thinking about what I might do when I get back.
So I thought I might just share a few of my ideas of the future with you. Maybe this way you can give me some suggestions.
1) US JOB/SCHOOL: Bilingual Education
Stats:
-3-year program at Columbia University Teachers College
-Teach in a NYC school while I earn an MA in Bilingual/Bicultural Childhood Education, which would most likely lead to working in an elementary school in an area of a large Spanish-speaking population
Pros:
-I finally make MONEY $$$$$ YAAAAA!
-I get to live in NYC.
-I get to be a teacher in the United States, where I likely have a better chance to be successful implementing the methods and training I've gotten here.
Cons:
-Program stipend might not cover all expenses. Potential student loans? Living in NYC? Cha-ching.
-Do I actually want to be a teacher? This is still an important question I must ponder.
2) US JOB: idealist.org
Stats:
-Constantly rotating job offerings through a website for people like me, who wish to go the nonprofit route
-One interesting lead was Open Books, a nonprofit organization in Chicago with after-school literacy programs and the like.
Pros:
-I (may) get to be a teacher outside of the school system.
-I have a real job.
-I get to live in a new city. Chicago sounds fun.
Cons:
-Who knows what will be available when I finish my service in March 2014? Will I be willing to commit to leaving shortly after arriving home?
3) JOB ABROAD: Program Coordinator at Supporting Kids in Peru (SKIP)
Stats:
-18-month commitment managing the Primary Education Program at a volunteer organization in a city in Peru
Pros:
-I am theoretically in a position of power, and unlike my current post, may be able to implement all I've learned into the curriculum.
-One of the main reasons I applied to Peace Corps was to perfect my Spanish, which I do not believe is happening. I thought this opportunity would allow me to interact with native Spanish speakers in a professional setting.
Cons:
-As this is a volunteer organization, the main audience and the majority of participants are English speakers, often either Americans, British, or Germans (as I can see on the website). If I'm focused on the Spanish, will I really improve surrounded by English speakers?
-Would keep me out of the US for another 18 months MINIMUM
So these are the strongest candidates as of now. No need to rush into a decision just yet, but with all this time on my hands, I thought, Why not think about it?
I truly appreciate any input you can offer.
So I thought I might just share a few of my ideas of the future with you. Maybe this way you can give me some suggestions.
1) US JOB/SCHOOL: Bilingual Education
Stats:
-3-year program at Columbia University Teachers College
-Teach in a NYC school while I earn an MA in Bilingual/Bicultural Childhood Education, which would most likely lead to working in an elementary school in an area of a large Spanish-speaking population
Pros:
-I finally make MONEY $$$$$ YAAAAA!
-I get to live in NYC.
-I get to be a teacher in the United States, where I likely have a better chance to be successful implementing the methods and training I've gotten here.
Cons:
-Program stipend might not cover all expenses. Potential student loans? Living in NYC? Cha-ching.
-Do I actually want to be a teacher? This is still an important question I must ponder.
2) US JOB: idealist.org
Stats:
-Constantly rotating job offerings through a website for people like me, who wish to go the nonprofit route
-One interesting lead was Open Books, a nonprofit organization in Chicago with after-school literacy programs and the like.
Pros:
-I (may) get to be a teacher outside of the school system.
-I have a real job.
-I get to live in a new city. Chicago sounds fun.
Cons:
-Who knows what will be available when I finish my service in March 2014? Will I be willing to commit to leaving shortly after arriving home?
3) JOB ABROAD: Program Coordinator at Supporting Kids in Peru (SKIP)
Stats:
-18-month commitment managing the Primary Education Program at a volunteer organization in a city in Peru
Pros:
-I am theoretically in a position of power, and unlike my current post, may be able to implement all I've learned into the curriculum.
-One of the main reasons I applied to Peace Corps was to perfect my Spanish, which I do not believe is happening. I thought this opportunity would allow me to interact with native Spanish speakers in a professional setting.
Cons:
-As this is a volunteer organization, the main audience and the majority of participants are English speakers, often either Americans, British, or Germans (as I can see on the website). If I'm focused on the Spanish, will I really improve surrounded by English speakers?
-Would keep me out of the US for another 18 months MINIMUM
So these are the strongest candidates as of now. No need to rush into a decision just yet, but with all this time on my hands, I thought, Why not think about it?
I truly appreciate any input you can offer.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
If I may...
...just vent for a moment. Today I got a phone call from my counterpart telling me that school has been shut down nation-wide in an attempt to conserve energy and water. We have been experiencing a bit of drought in the beginning of what should be the rainy season. As a lot of the country depends on various hydroelectric dams to provide power, and the levels of a few dams are "dangerously" low, the government has decided to conserve energy any way it can. So they shut down all the schools and government agencies have shortened work hours.
First of all, I'm gonna safely assume the main usage of power is air-conditioning. They are asking people in both the public and private sector to turn off their machines from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seriously? A country dancing between first-world and third-world really has its head in the right place...Turn off the A/C. How about that?
The real issue that hits home, though, is the cancellation of school. One of the roots of this country's many problems is its educational system. Yet, whenever there's a holiday, event, or any sort of political unrest, school is cancelled. Now, in a time when kids are just getting into the groove, classes are thrown away again. The third trimester (September-December) is so filled with free days and holidays that it's almost a lost cause. So every day is precious. Although that's all the principals and teachers seem to talk about, no one seems to realize it, or truly internalize it. And fewer seem to realize the irony of their words at the Monday assembly every week about education being the highest priority. Someone at the top is making very odd decisions.
And on a personal level, this is ridiculous for many reasons:
1) I was supposed to start preparing the kids for the Spelling Bee, which takes place at the end of the month. I've already discussed my serious disdain for the whole idea of the Spelling Bee, but I am now committed to working with the kids. I mean, it's something to do. Without school, the kids have no meeting place or scheduled practice. And they sure as heck won't come to school just to practice spelling in English for an hour. Get real.
2) I had an important meeting tomorrow with one of my bosses. I was going to use her presence as a sort of back-up to have a serious discussion with my teachers and professors. I've felt a bit underutilized at my schools, and I wanted to discuss how to collaborate better with my English teachers. I wanted to talk about how having a native English speaker is a huge resource--currently going to waste, in my opinion, as no one is willing to truly dive into the work involved with having me, a Peace Corps volunteer. That chance to get the ball rolling? Gone.
3) My community has been without consistent water for about two weeks now. Huge inconvenience. In order to get water, I've had to carry buckets to and from the school, which is only a 3-minute walk. On the way back, though, with full buckets and at peak hours of the early afternoon, it quickly goes from a pleasant stroll to a sweltering chore. When the water at the school theoretically runs out, then what? And where in heaven's name is the rest of my community getting its water?
That's where I am, though. No more school for the rest of the week. On one hand, three days off from school is good. I can get some errands done, like taking my cat to the vet to get his vaccines and prepare for important seminars I have next week. However, I've been here for a year and some change, and this sort of thing has happened so often that it no longer fazes me. Idle time is so common that I've started to find ways to fill it. However, the real, sector-related work in English Teaching and education in general is slipping away for reasons beyond my control. I can't handle much more of this failure because of problems with the system.
I'm starting to think we volunteers should just take over the Ministry of Education. Only the purest of minds capable and willing to sacrifice, to dedicate time to the well-being of our great country, i.e. no muggles. Just kidding.
First of all, I'm gonna safely assume the main usage of power is air-conditioning. They are asking people in both the public and private sector to turn off their machines from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seriously? A country dancing between first-world and third-world really has its head in the right place...Turn off the A/C. How about that?
The real issue that hits home, though, is the cancellation of school. One of the roots of this country's many problems is its educational system. Yet, whenever there's a holiday, event, or any sort of political unrest, school is cancelled. Now, in a time when kids are just getting into the groove, classes are thrown away again. The third trimester (September-December) is so filled with free days and holidays that it's almost a lost cause. So every day is precious. Although that's all the principals and teachers seem to talk about, no one seems to realize it, or truly internalize it. And fewer seem to realize the irony of their words at the Monday assembly every week about education being the highest priority. Someone at the top is making very odd decisions.
And on a personal level, this is ridiculous for many reasons:
1) I was supposed to start preparing the kids for the Spelling Bee, which takes place at the end of the month. I've already discussed my serious disdain for the whole idea of the Spelling Bee, but I am now committed to working with the kids. I mean, it's something to do. Without school, the kids have no meeting place or scheduled practice. And they sure as heck won't come to school just to practice spelling in English for an hour. Get real.
2) I had an important meeting tomorrow with one of my bosses. I was going to use her presence as a sort of back-up to have a serious discussion with my teachers and professors. I've felt a bit underutilized at my schools, and I wanted to discuss how to collaborate better with my English teachers. I wanted to talk about how having a native English speaker is a huge resource--currently going to waste, in my opinion, as no one is willing to truly dive into the work involved with having me, a Peace Corps volunteer. That chance to get the ball rolling? Gone.
3) My community has been without consistent water for about two weeks now. Huge inconvenience. In order to get water, I've had to carry buckets to and from the school, which is only a 3-minute walk. On the way back, though, with full buckets and at peak hours of the early afternoon, it quickly goes from a pleasant stroll to a sweltering chore. When the water at the school theoretically runs out, then what? And where in heaven's name is the rest of my community getting its water?
That's where I am, though. No more school for the rest of the week. On one hand, three days off from school is good. I can get some errands done, like taking my cat to the vet to get his vaccines and prepare for important seminars I have next week. However, I've been here for a year and some change, and this sort of thing has happened so often that it no longer fazes me. Idle time is so common that I've started to find ways to fill it. However, the real, sector-related work in English Teaching and education in general is slipping away for reasons beyond my control. I can't handle much more of this failure because of problems with the system.
I'm starting to think we volunteers should just take over the Ministry of Education. Only the purest of minds capable and willing to sacrifice, to dedicate time to the well-being of our great country, i.e. no muggles. Just kidding.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Facebook Status from April 30th
Thought I should share with those of you who aren't on Facebook, i.e. most family members. :)
The hardest part of Peace Corps is not carrying buckets of water up and down a hill just to be able to wash dishes and bathe. Nor is it being "far" from loved ones or giving up your previous life. To me, the hardest part of Peace Corps is trying to open up a mind to a completely foreign concept, like having some hotshot kid come into your English class, observe, give suggestions and constructive criticism, someone who isn't your boss, out to get your job, someone who just wants to help you improve your language skills and teaching methodologies. Many think, who would do that? The hardest part of Peace Corps is struggling on a daily basis to feel relevant, to make some sort of long-term impact on people who, for the most part, are happy with the way things are, or if they aren't, are more than likely unwilling to go through the full process needed to improve, or discover new ways of thinking. Many think, why care so much about the way they do things? The hardest part of Peace Corps is having a mind full of knowledge and ideas and a heart full of compassion and optimism and having life take jabs at you every day, testing you until you either endure and find your version of success or give up and move on to the next venture. The hardest part of Peace Corps is thinking that after two years, the people you fought so hard for may not take to heart the knowledge you tried to impart, or even give a second thought to the work you tried to do.
The hardest part of Peace Corps is not carrying buckets of water up and down a hill just to be able to wash dishes and bathe. Nor is it being "far" from loved ones or giving up your previous life. To me, the hardest part of Peace Corps is trying to open up a mind to a completely foreign concept, like having some hotshot kid come into your English class, observe, give suggestions and constructive criticism, someone who isn't your boss, out to get your job, someone who just wants to help you improve your language skills and teaching methodologies. Many think, who would do that? The hardest part of Peace Corps is struggling on a daily basis to feel relevant, to make some sort of long-term impact on people who, for the most part, are happy with the way things are, or if they aren't, are more than likely unwilling to go through the full process needed to improve, or discover new ways of thinking. Many think, why care so much about the way they do things? The hardest part of Peace Corps is having a mind full of knowledge and ideas and a heart full of compassion and optimism and having life take jabs at you every day, testing you until you either endure and find your version of success or give up and move on to the next venture. The hardest part of Peace Corps is thinking that after two years, the people you fought so hard for may not take to heart the knowledge you tried to impart, or even give a second thought to the work you tried to do.
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