Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!

I'm in a pissy mood. Why, you ask? Because Boobie's new school is literally sucking me dry financially.

It's only a month into the school year and already, besides tuition, I have had to shell out extra money to pay for a field trip (yeah, already), and an upcoming spiritual retreat. And GET THIS... now I just get a flier informing me of a new bilingual program I have to purchase.

I know with most private schools, it's always 'money talks'. But this is ridiculous, no? I mean, a month later and I am already paying way more than the c140.000 colones a month in fees.

For March I shelled out a whopping 176.000+ (that amount included fees for the school ID, which was c1.700 colones, and the Science book rental). I knew I had to pay those, but dammit! It all just adds up so quickly.

Now this bilingual program that I have to buy, must buy, at c17.600 colones and for what? I have to ask, no. I just have to buy it. I am just not in a good mood. I loved this school, but like most schools here, it's already leaving a bitter taste in my mouth as it keeps soliciting more and more cash out of my wallet, on top of the outrageous tuition I have to pay.

I guess I have to grin and bear it. After all, I chose this school. And Boobie loves it. But, it's just a month into the school year and if I am being bombarded with all these money requests so often now, I can only imagine what the rest of the year will be like.

Let me see what else is expected of me:
Extra curricular fees. Boobie is taking arts and crafts and soccer after school, Mondays and Fridays. That's an added extra charge of c6.000 colones each a month for an additional c12.000 colones a month tacked on the monthly tuition. Someone gag me now! Oh well, Boobie wanted to partake in after school activities, and his dad was all too gung-ho about letting him do so.

On the orange paper they give to you when you first sign your kid up for the school, they do spell it out for you what all the extra stuff is you'll have to pay for.... a bilingual program was NOT on that list.

The list goes: rental book fee for Science and Math. The fee for Science is c25.000 colones for the year. I'll get a slip about the Math book rental fee soon enough.

Camp
Convivio (the school retreat)
Annual graduation fees (this only applies to the 6th, 9th and 11th grades)
End of year activity (again, only 6, 9 and 11 grade)
And whatever other fees they dream up to charge us poor financially burdened parents. So I guess that bilingual program falls in that category.

I am sick. But I just hope as the school year settles down, they will stop with the damn fees and give us a break for once. I would just love to pay the tuition and the tuition alone for just ONE month without stressing about paying all the other extra stuff (besides the after school stuff of course).

I guess it's my fault. I fell for this school and now I am having second thoughts. I could kick myself. I guess we'll see how the year plays out. The good news is there are other prospects for Boobie. I'll keep my head up.