Life: Idiotropic

Remember the Gripe of the Day last week when the credit card machine wouldn't work???  And I'd gone to get cash, but the large amount of money that was in the account had vanished in the 24 hours since I'd checked it last and just 24 hours before I was going to the bank to reload the account anyway?

Apparently in that interim 24 hours when my account sat empty, my cell phone company decided to take their payment.  They got one - Tiara's, but sadly the payments for Kirk's and my phone were declined.

This is how bills are paid here.  You receive a statement, yes, but by that time the money is usually gone.  See, here, like in Germany, when you set up a service, you give them your bank account numbers so that when you owe money, they just take it.  Ahh, the joy of having no control over your money.

So last Monday, Kirk's phone stopped working.  No phone, no internet.  On Tuesday my phone stopped working, so on Wednesday, I called Movistar was hung up on twice, then finally got someone to help me and 5 minutes of repeating myself later, got him to understand me.  I needed to go to the post office to make the payment.  The post office closes at 1415. I'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Thursday I went to the post office armed with cash, our phone numbers, our Spanish resident ID card numbers, and the amounts due.  Could I pay them both together?  No.  They had to be paid separately even though they are under the same account.  I tried to pay a bit more (just to make sure).  Nope, the computer only accepts the exact amount - neither a penny more nor less.  After 5 attempts, the lady was finally able to get my payment to work.  48 hours later, I'd have phone service.  72 hours later my internet would work again.

Kirk's information however, wouldn't work.  At first she was turning my sevens into ones because we write them differently.  I caught that mistake and watched her carefully.  We tried both resident numbers.  We tried different amounts.  Finally she gave up.  Last time, she said.  It didn't work.

I called Movistar when I got home.  Took 5 minutes to explain that I was calling for my husband's phone not mine.  I double checked the information.  It was correct.

Friday morning I went back to the post office with a newly neatly written paper with all of the information printed in the Spanish style with ones and sevens overly legible.  We tried again - 5, 6 times.  Didn't work.

So on Friday while waiting for our turn to go into the caves, I called movistar again.  Rechecked all the numbers.  They are all correct.  What do I do?  Can't I just go to the Movistar store and pay?  No.  The only way to pay is at the post office which I've been trying for two days without success or through a bank transfer.

So, on Saturday, I request a special code that will allow me to make transfers from my computer and go through a series of confirmation numbers that are sent to my phone from my bank.  And eventually, I am able to make the payment, but it's yet to be seen if my husband will have phone service or not.

I love Spain.  I love living abroad and experiencing new cultures.  I consider most inconveniences just part of the journey.  But I draw the line at money issues.  Yeah, I'm here and I have to deal with it, but the backwards ways in which things happen with banks and business... the ability for companies to take money from an account before I even receive a statement or warning.  It's just rediculous.

And here ends the gripes for a while.  May be it's just the heat.  But I am thankful through and through for the freedom and control that I have over my money in the states.  It's a beautiful thing.