Frustration + Football = Wash

Today was my first taste of the difficulties I'll be facing trying to start fresh. I planned on getting an iPhone today, but in order to get a plan, I have to provide my Chilean ID and a local credit or debit card. The first I have, the second I did not, so I set out to get this rectified. I went to the bank, which conveniently enough was three blocks away, ready to open an account like any full-fledged adult is capable of. One major problem; my money and previous life mean nothing to anybody here. Forget the fact that I've been working for a decade, the bank looked at me like like little Kevin McCallister going grocery shopping.

You don't want my money? WHAAAA!?!?!

I was told that in order to open a big boy savings and/or checking account I needed to provide proof of employment in the form of my last 3 months of pay stubs. Well, obviously I no longer work, not that my prior job stubs would have sufficed as they are from abroad and would have needed to be notarized by the consulate. So I opened the only account I could, one that seems to be for first timers, baby's first bank account. It has a ridiculously low maximum amount I can deposit and is essentially useless for human usage, but it would do the trick to buy my phone. Or so I thought...

I show up to the cell store with my paper proof since I won't get my plastic for God knows how long. The lady tells me "Awww that won't cut it lil guy. You need a REAL account." So they don't want my money either. I ended up settling for a prepaid plan in a moment of frustration. Fortunately, I didn't settle for the one crappy phone at that locale. I got on the Metro and went to a better place, which accomplished one more thing on the list-- buy a BIP! card, the chilean version of the NYC Metrocard. Remember tokens? Some of you are probably too young to have experienced these and to you I say I hate you.

This, kiddos, is Old Skool.

Anyway, I ended up getting a Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 if you care to know, and to be honest I like it a lot. Those of you that know me know I've had a tiny candybar dumbphone for the past two years, which I managed to lose one week before this journey.

If you've seen this phone, it's mine. Give it back, jerk!

Those of you who REALLY know me know I had a Google Nexus S for all of one month back in the Spring, which I simultaneously loved and hated because it was awesome, but kept resetting itself to no end. In that short time I managed to link all my contacts to Gmail. And wouldn't you know the second I plugged my Google info into this phone everyone magically reappeared. One ray of light in an otherwise stormy day.

I lie, two great things happened today, the second of which is going on as I type this. FOOTBALL. IS. BACK! Kickoff here was at 9:30PM because of the hour difference, and I held out on eating since 2 because I wanted to watch this game at a nearby place called Sport Cafe, which has tons of big screens. I walk in and every TV is showing the only Argentinian soccer game on today. I should've known this wasn't going to work when I didn't see an American football in their stupid logo. 

Is that a bowling ball? I came to Chile to get AWAY from PBA tour on ESPN!

Came back home, found a pretty decent stream online, ate a ginormous plate of pasta, and filled you in on my productive but annoying day while Green Bay puts a whuppin' on the Saints. And that folks, is all for tonight. Lesson learned today: Bumpy roads ahead, be sure to bring the Big Wheel. Goodnight!

 I had this and it was more awesome than anything you will ever know.