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Why is it that after being here for almost 8 weeks, I still do not have my own working internet? *sigh* Long story. I will try to be brief. Basically I bought a portable modem about 2 weeks after arriving in Barranquilla, but it wasn’t working on my computer so I sold it to Dave. (Later I found out that it was just my antivirus blocking it.) I didn’t rush to buy another one because a) the place I bought it from was kind of far away b) I was waiting to get some more Colombian money and c) I was able to use a neighbor’s unsecured wireless internet. Plus Dave and Elizabeth were having issues with their internet and we heard that there were cheaper options. The wireless connection that I was using disappeared. Our director lent Elizabeth and I her portable modem until we could figure out our internet issues.
Last week I found out that the grocery store that I go to just about every day actually sells modems and you can recharge them with the cashiers (since they do everything!) So I should have had working internet last week, right?
Sunday, September 20th
I bought a modem, took it home to try it out- but it didn’t work! It came with two SIM cards, but neither of the other modems that I’d used had them… so I wasn’t sure what to do with them. They are cardboard and have a chip hot-glued onto them. As I was attempting to figure out what to with them, I, uh, broke one…. But seriously- it’s cardboard and hot glue! Anyways, I put the other card in and it still didn’t work.
Monday, September 21st
I brought my computer to school to have the tech guy take a look at it. He couldn’t get it to work either and told me to bring it back. After school I took it back to the store and they tried the modem in one of their laptops. It didn’t work. The very nice saleswomen (whose name was Karen also) offered to meet me at the main Comcel store the next day to solve the problem.
Tuesday, September 22nd
I took a cab to Comcel and found Karen waiting for me there. She explained the situation and found out that the SIM card that I broke was the one that I needed in order to use the internet. They got me a new card and Karen said I should come back to the grocery store the next day and she would officially activate it again.
Wednesday, September 23rd
I went to the store, but Karen was not working.
Thursday, September 24th
I went back to the store and Karen told me that she had already activated it and that it should work. We tried it in her laptop and it worked! I took it home. Tried it in my computer and it didn’t work. It said something about a data card not being properly installed. I decided to take it the tech guy at school again the next day.
Friday, September 25th
The power was out at school and everyone went home at 12:30. With all the craziness I didn’t talk to the tech guy.
Luckily throughout this time I’ve been able to either steal the neighbor’s connection or use my director’s modem. Even if those connections haven’t been the best- they have at least worked part of the time. Elizabeth tells me that for the last couple of weeks Mercury has been in retrograde and that this causes problems in communication and transportation. I don’t really know anything about Astrology but I’m tired of having communication problems! Apparently Mercury will stop retrograding on Tuesday morning. Here’s to hoping that my internet will be fixed by then! (And also that I will have a decent enough connection to be able to post this tonight...)
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