La Vie En Rose for 2009 March 19

2009 has been a great year so far, but I seem to cursed when it comes to HSBC and my money. It started off with me waiting patiently for my loan refund for this term, increasingly less patiently, until finally towards the end of January I got an email from the powers that be at BBK saying my loan check, which I had endorsed 6 weeks previously, had gotten lost in the mail and they would let me know when new ones were reissued (taking months, no doubt, plus the addition 4-6 weeks to clear). In the meantime, how was I supposed to eat? Not their concern, apparently. With the history department on my side, checks were rushed through but when they (surprisingly, haha) failed to arrive in the promised time, the department made me a loan. However, thanks to the glories of the UK banking system, by the time that check had cleared, I had my money (suspiciously less than it should have been. As it turns out BBK was hording the money and now, during the last term I have twice as much as I received for the previous one. Makes sense? Good).

So, into February and I've been surviving on the kindness of friends and especially flatmates. But I have my money now so all should be well, right? Well, my card was supposed to expire at the end of Feburary, but halfway through the month it stopped working. I patiently waited for my replacement card. It never came. I went to HSBC to find they had sent it to CALIFORNIA. because it does me so much good there. They ordered a new one. I waited patiently. It never came. Went in again. The second one had also been sent to CA. Of course. Finally a card ordered to the branch in King's X which I went to pick up on Tuesday.

Money! Hallejuah!! Yesterday I was at Waterstones to pick up a guidebook for Barcelona. I stick my card into the chip reader and entered my PIN since they said it would stay the same. Incorrect PIN. Try again. Nope. FABULOUS. So now I've ordered a PIN reminder which should be sent to me in 7 days. Hopefully. We'll see. Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me!!