Saturday June 9, 2018

I’m finally at the airport awaiting my first flight on this 26 & 1/2 hour journey to Uganda. No matter how early I begin my packing process, I always seem to have last minute, critical issues to attend to and today was no exception. I needed to get money (cash) to take with me to Uganda and when I got it out of the ATM machine last night I knew I would have to go to the bank today to work with a teller to get it changed into large bills- $50’s- that were dated 2006 or more recent and had no marks or tears. If you bring bills that are old or aren’t perfect, the money will be rejected- it has happened to me before, even when I thought I’d done ok with the bills. But usually I’m able to get what I need from the bank. The teller just looks through their cash drawer and finds the bills that will work. Well the new bank I’m using doesn’t have cash drawers anymore. They just get the money out of what is basically an indoor ATM machine. They can’t pick and choose from among the bills. Plus I apparently chose the busiest time on a Saturday morning. The teller was very nice and helpful, though, and after a few tries of getting money out of the machine, we came up with clean good bills. When I got home and sorted through the money and double-checked the amount, I came out $10 high. What had gone wrong? Both my husband and I checked and counted the money over and over again and wracked our brains to figure out how this could have happened. We worried that I’d done something wrong at the bank. Finally we decided to go to the bank to let the teller know the problem. She again was quite busy but took my contact info and said she’d call me later when she counted her drawer. Luckily if she was short, she could just debit my account without filing a complaint since I’d brought it to her attention. So that task done we headed to the airport. As I got out of the car I noticed a $50 bill on the floor. What!!!! Now I wondered if I was $60 over instead of just $10??? Well, at least the bank teller was calling me back soon and I could explain. So I checked in and settled down to wait and calm myself after this morning of running around like a crazy person. As I mentally prepared for this trip my phone rang- the bank teller. Guess what? Her count was even- I did not take more money than I was due! What a relief. So in the end, instead of being $10 up I’m actually $60 up. This was easier to figure out. My husband was holding the money and probably added in 3 $20 bills by accident. So now he has donated to my trip! Ha! Ha! Well that is much better than causing bank fraud. Whew! They are calling my fight soon. I’m looking forward to a wonderful trip! Stay tuned for more adventures…