Day 278 (Covington, VA) : SSDY - The New Year edition

These eighteen or so days that I've been working out in the States have been quite productive and good for my finances. I've managed to pass my car over to Justin, canceled the car insurance that I've been paying to keep it garaged for the last two years and change, started an epic battle with Aetna over the insurance policy they've been charging me for since I lived in Cha'ville, and found an unexpected windfall in the form of a life insurance check from my father that I must have over looked since 2002.

I even lucked out finding my expired debit card in time to have it expedited here since the bank had shipped my new card out to the FPO address I had a year ago. That problem is very similar to Aetna's, "We didn't know we couldn't provide you with insurance so we kept charging you for nothing," stance. It boggles my mind that in this day and age companies can say, "But, but, but we didn't know you moved to another country. It's not our responsibility, blah, blah, blah." I think any company that is charging almost $100 a month should have the common courtesy to send out reminders and bi-annual notifications of subscription. Progressive is smart enough to do that. You get reminders that you're six month payment cycle is coming to an end and if you don't verify payments, they stop charging you. Simple, right? Aetna is just a shiesty insurance company that serves as a perfect example of what is wrong with the health system in America. I hope the government just tears it all to the ground and put a completely new system in it's place.

I was finally able to talk to Yuko's sister for the first time since we had lunch way, way back in the day. I think my Japanese still sucks so I can't express myself well but it was good to try. I have only done one page of the twelve or so pages of homework that my teachers assigned for the winter vacation. I thought it was bogus that the teachers handed out so much work knowing half the students would be returning to their home countries for the holidays. I won't really start trying to do it until I get back to Japan on the 3rd, probably the 4th by the time I wake up.

I was planning to attach some of the pictures from my trip to this first entry but it's late here and my brother is still trying to find the pictures between the three cameras that him and his wifey used the last few days.