I (16F) am Colombian and I live Bogota and I go to this super cool school. I have classmates from France, the US, Korea, England, Brazil, Beligium, etc. Half of the teachers are also foreign which is so fun cause they all have accents and weird snacks. It’s got tons of clubs and it’s actually really well located like there’s a Starbucks and a Burger King LITERALLY in front of the school and there’s a mall like 5 minutes away by Uber so it’s just super convenient and chill and like the vibes are honestly great.

Anyway so the other day I was talking with my chauffeur's son (we’ve known each other forever cause our parents have worked together since I was in kindergarten and he’s honestly cool, we talk sometimes) and he was complaining about his school being kinda a mess. Like he said it was an “entertaining shit show” (his words). And I thought he was being dramatic until he showed me PICTURES.

THE ROOF IS LITERALLY COMING DOWN YOU GUYS. There are holes in the wall. Someone had drawn a dick in the teachers desk with black sharpie. There was a dog?? Inside the building??? And not like a service dog, like a stray??? I was SHOCKED. I was like “Dude. GET OUT OF THERE.” And he just kinda laughed but I was being serious. So I told him he should transfer to MY school next semester cause it’s obviously way better and I thought I was being super helpful.

And then he just looked at me like I had asked him to move to Jupiter. Like. That look you give someone when they say something SO DUMB you don’t even know how to respond??? And I was just like “??? What???” And he was like “Do you think I can AFFORD that school???”

And I was like what do you mean??? It can’t be that expensive?? Like I know it’s not free obvs, but I just assumed it was like normal expensive. So we actually argued about it for a second cause I told him I really don’t think it’s that bad and he just kept laughing and telling me I was delusional so I pulled out my phone and looked up the tuition on the school website.

AND OMFG?!?!?!?

I was actually sitting there with my mouth OPEN. I had to double-check it was the right currency cause for a second I thought maybe it was in Yen or something. But no, that shit is in Colombian pesos and it’s like… like a LOT of them. LIKE A LOT A LOT.

He started laughing SO HARD cause I was just sitting there looking like I had been slapped. I wasn’t even mad, I was just PROCESSSSSSSSING. Like what do you MEAN my school costs that much??? Like??? Is not like my family struggles or something, we live a comfortable life but isn’t like we are rich rich. Like hello????😭😭😭😭

I went to dinner with my family that night and I was like “GUYS. WTF. Did you KNOW???” and my dad was like “Yeah?? I’m the one who pays it, love” and I went on a whole rant about how this is actually super messed up and people like my friend should be able to go to a good school too because he’s really smart and funny and also kinda hot and he smells really good which shouldn’t be such a rare thing but 90% of the guys in my class smell like gym socks and pain. Like what’s the point of having all these nice resources and smart teachers and cool exchange programs if only the people that can pay for it can get it???

And like yeah I guess I kinda get it now cause it’s private and stuff but still it feels so WRONG. And now I’m spiraling cause like what about all the kids who are super smart and work hard but don’t get these opportunities cause of MONEY???How is that fair?? My brother was like “Wow. You just discovered the Americas, congrats” and he also told me that I sounded like a spoiled ashole who just discovered something that everyone learns at 6. Which Rude. But like I admit maybe I was a little naive???🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️