8.25.2000

And so the ongoing saga continues - Canada Trust Sucks Take 3.

Okay, so I call the bank again yesterday to find out what in the hell has happened to the PIN that was supposedly mailed on August the forth (so assured by the last guy I talked to (Joey) at Easy Line. Turns out it was initiated on the 4th and didn't arrive until the 21st or something, so the incharge told me. They swear it's already been mailed and it should be here soon. Why don't I look convinced? So the other thing is that I can't actually log into EasyLine or EasyWeb, so I can't pay my bills, including my Canada Trust Mastercard - because I didn't send back a form that they told me I didn't have to send back. So even if my PIN arrived today, I wouldn't be able to access it as it's been suspended. Even though I have signed agreements with Canada Trust, I have to sign new ones because they fucked up, apparently. Fun, fun.

Second instalment of yestetrday's money fun was the fact that I toured all of the banks in Campinas trying to get a cash advance on the credit card the Mom sent down with a PIN. (Funny how within a week an ordinary citizen can get a programmed card in my hand when an institution hasn't managed to do it in the six weeks I've almost been down here, isn't it?). Probelm is, although the card's programmed properly, my newest found knowledge is that there is not a single bank machine in all of Campinas that has Cirrus programming. Not even the Merkin one - Citibank. Isn't that a joy? So today, at a 11:30 I run away to São Paulo with the mailman in search for ATM's that work. When will the fun ever stop?

I did have some good news yesterday, however, had a meeting with the head honcho of the Call Center and found out that all the time I've been in Campinas where everyone has pretty much steered clear of me, they had the wrong idea of why I was here. They thought I was here to consult for the *Control Center*. I'm not sure why, but I'm glad they've finally sorted this all out. They're actually really excited to have me on board and there's promise of actual co-operation and help(which is a very good thing indeed). It looks like I'm going to be udergoing a major web project and reconfiguring the way they train. So it looks like I may not be going to Macaé just yet, as I and they have got a lot of stuff to catch up on.

At least something in life worked out well. :)
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 10:22 (her time) @

One more thing....

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. I have a laptop now, and I have access to Internet Gratis, which is a Brazil-wide freenet. Couldn't work out that easy though could it? I went home the other day all happy because I could hang out on line and.... I have no jack in my room.

My set is hardwired, woohoo.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 11:18 (her time) @

Woohoo!

I'm posting *from home*!!!!!

It looks *nothing* like a communications jack. No RJ's here, I guess.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 21:59 (her time) @

Not a lot to report.

I got my big assignment done over the weekend and turned it in yesterday. I'm just waiting to hear the word on it now. Still no mail from Canada Trust, and I've almost given up. I've taken measures with the Mom to get me back in cash, and so things will improve, but it's still annoying as hell. I tell you, Canada Trust will have a visit from me on my return home. Either that or I'll go to TD Waterhouse. I'm trying to get internet access down here now that I've got myself a shiny new laptop... but it's hard as hell trying to find a company with English speaking employees, and I need to know if I can roam from here to São Paulo to Rio to Macaé with it. Ain't no use getting it if I can't.

Spent the weekend quietly, went for a swim in the pool (which has no deep end - dissappointing) and went for a sauna. Watched a couple of movies including There's Something About Mary and The War at Home - oh yeah, and most of Insurrection. I read a bit of The Brazilians, I picked up a few groceries, I lay out in the sun on my balcony for a while - nothing major. The weather was (and is) bright and beautiful here today - very much like June at home when we're not having a rainy death year like we had this year. By the way -- to all the Bell folx reading this out there, congrats on making it through the summer... I'll keep my fingers crossed for you for Student Inward.

With temps reaching upward eighties/early thirties today I'm beginning to fret a little over what November's going to be like. Hopefully by then I'll have a beachside apartment with a breeze ;). Anyway, got to get back to work. It's a fight with IT day today, joy bliss, and I'm going to need all the time I've got.
posted by The Mo of Space and Death 10:57 (her time) @

Mo is in:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Weather in:

São Paulo
Campinas
Rio de Janiero
Macaé
Manaus
Guarujá

Mail me, Dammit!
Expatria Archives

What I'm reading:
Nothing. Too busy.

Never finished:

Recently finished:

Desperately seeking:

Listening to:
Gary Brown: Dain St Live

See:

Campinas
São Paulo