I'm blaming my latest absence from the keyboard on my beautiful second niece.... well at least she was beautiful when she was born... I haven't received many photos lately and unfortunately she lives a little too far away to actually pop in to give her a cuddle, but... I'm still blaming her for my absence!
I had a conversation the other day with a lady which highlighted how different people's levels of acceptance are. She is the mother of 3 or 4 children and her husband is a police officer. Her eldest daughter is the same school year as my daughter and will start junior high school in April. Her youngest son will also start primary school in April. There seem to be so many things that need to be done to start school here and each school has very different requirements for what is needed. For a blast from the past you can see what Emily needed here.
Anyway, back to my story.... I asked the lady if there was any possibility that her husband would be transferred in April (very common for anyone in any kind of public servant kind of work here) and she said that it was very likely. I asked her when she would find out. The answer... about 2 weeks before the transfer would occur - which would be about the time the kids were all due to start their new schools.. I questioned whether it was possible to ask them to let them know a little earlier - the fact that school uniforms will need to be purchased in advance would be sufficient reason in my mind. But, apparently this is not possible, so they just need to go with the flow and deal with it when it happens. I'm pretty good at going with the flow most of the time - I am famous for my smiling and bowing even at the worst of times, but for me this kind of uncertainty would be just a little over the top. I really don't understand the transfer system here and why the notification of transfers has to be so last minute. Even a months notice would be better than two weeks.... Unfortunately no one else seems to think that it is strange and therefore the system is not likely to change in the foreseeable future. I guess I should just be grateful that my husband is only transferred around divisions and not around towns!
The book for the photo's!
ReplyDelete100% with you on this! And you should talk to Lily from Cafe Yamashita on when the company decided whether or not you will be transferred with your husband and Vicky from Hyotenka about sudden changes of transfer plans AFTER you have been told you're going AND packed!! This country is fabulous in so many ways but utterly crazy in so many others!
ReplyDelete... and that's just domestic transfer!! International is no different, just two weeks notice. I told my husband if you are transferred internationally I WILL be going back to Australia for that time ... with each passing year the likelihood of transfer is less and less, phew.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know you much we've enjoyed reading your blog! We live in the States and find your life to be so interesting. Thanks for sharing!
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