Money

I got a letter from my parents today. It had my application to defer my student loans. "I think you qualify under section 6, economic hardship," my Dad wrote. "I figured out that I make as much as you do in a month by lunchtime on the first."
Then my mother wrote a p.s. on the bottom. "Don't pay any attention to him. You get a ticket to heaven by lunchtime on the first day. Where he is going is not so certain."

It's not quite true, though. My paycheck is actually $514.16. They have it figured out to the cent. Most of that is my share in the rent and utilities, then the $70 for food, $85 personal stipend, and $64 transportation. We have $7 left in the food fund, which is pretty good, although we did go a week without buying any groceries. And I have $2.45 left over, all in change. But then again I didn't buy a bus pass this month since I biked or walked to work most of the time. But half of that I spent visiting Russell, so it's still "transportation".

We're supposed to live within our stipend, but nothing in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps is a rule, they're all suggestions, and I have to decide when outside money is acceptable. I have $300 socked away as my transportation money home, because I would never be able to afford a bus ticket home just on my stipend. I even found a flight deal that would be cheaper than that, if my vacation time is approved. And I decided that accepting a ticket to Korea from James would be a-ok with my Jesuit year. Just because I wouldn't be able to get through this year if I didn't see him sometime. Mom wants me to put my thyroid medication on my credit card and she'll pay for it, but I'm not sure if I'll take that. If the copay is only $10 or $15, I think I should pay for it myself.