[Plugin] Can't load language files

I’m using code from the plugin boilerplate

public function load_plugin_textdomain() {
		$domain = $this->plugin_slug;
		$locale = apply_filters( 'plugin_locale', get_locale(), $domain );

		load_textdomain( $domain, trailingslashit( WP_LANG_DIR ) . $domain . '/' . $domain . '-' . $locale . '.mo' );
		load_plugin_textdomain( $domain, FALSE, basename( plugin_dir_path( dirname( __FILE__ ) ) ) . '/languages/' );

	}

I’ve created es_ES.po and .mo files and they look good. Poedit is set to compile automatically. I’ve changed the language in my config.php to es_ES. I’ve downloaded the WordPress 3.9 es update. I’ve check paths, file names, and I’m about to pull out what little hair I have left.

1. It did NOT move my language files when I upgraded WordPress to 3.9 es so the load_textdomain isn’t finding them in the new /language/ directory. Why it didn’t move them, I have no idea.

2. load_plugin_textdomain does nothing. it’s still constantly in English no matter what I do.

3. I’ve read the codex, other websites and a few religious pamphlets and STILL can’t get the language to load.

any ideas?