Sometimes your mind just can't even begin to wrap itself around what is going on. For example, my electric bill each month has been ranging from 380 Quetzales to 430 Quetzales (8 Quetzales = $1, for those of you that really care). It has continuously gone up each month, but it's not like skyrocketing or anything, just by like 20-30 Quetzales or so each month. So on Friday, I get my electric bill out of my mailbox and it reads 2065 Quetzales. I was like HUH? I couldn't even really wrap my mind around that, thinking about how I just purchased a car and I'm trying to make some summer trips, etc. It took about ten minutes before I started to freak out. I called my neighbor who was on a bus to Rio Dulce to ask her if their electric bill was high this month. She said yes, I took a big sigh and said oh ok, good. What are you going to do about it? She said, well pay it. I said, but it's ridiculous and she said, well it was like 30 Q higher. I said, no mine was like 1500 Q higher. Anyway, she reassured me not to panic and to go tell the people in the office on Monday, it must be a mistake. I did notice on my bill that my status had changed from residential to commercial. I was like, this is not a business. So I explained to the lady in the office. She said she'd call and see what the deal was and let me know. She said it looked like my landlord had changed my status. I figured it was to get a tax break or something. So I went to lunch duty and came back. She said, "Well we have a bad situation here." I was like oh great. What? Well, since you have been using so much electricity the last two months and your number is over this certain amount (10) then they bumped you up to commercial rates. I was like, well my bill hasn't even gone up that much. And how come I don't get fair warning on this? She said, well I don't know, but your number has to go down for six consecutive months before they will put you back down at a residential rate. I was so angry. I called my landlord and I had to scan my bills and send them to her today and she is going to call to try to get it taken care of for me. I don't know what I will do if I have to pay for this high rate from now on. This is like $250 for someone who is not even at home all day and doesn't come home until at least 4:30 every day. ugghhh. I mean of course, I guess I will pay it if I want electricity, but we'll see what happens. I will keep you updated. Such is the life living in a foreign country, I suppose. Never quite sure of what is going on or the rules and regulations of things, if there are any here in Guate. I am just reminded of my need to be flexible and willing to take whatever is thrown my direction!
Rise of the Guardians
10 years ago
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