Getting proper quantities of documentation to do ANYTHING in this country is like wading through concrete. I seriously don't think the word "efficient" is listed anywhere in our brazilian portuguese translation book. If it were, it would read:
Efficient: please see Incompetent.
Ok a little mean but I need to air out some frustrations.
We have an air freight box coming from the US that was packed back in early December complete with sheets, towels, pillows, dishes, silverware....etc. Things we well kinda need. The box was supposed to arrive Dec. 23 and instead landed Dec. 27th. Fine. We could wait a few days without those necessary things since we were still living in a hotel. However once we moved into our apartment we have a floor, a mattress, paper towels... none of which help with any of the desired things we enjoy doing like shower and sleep. We didn't want to buy stuff because we thought the box was here and would be delivered any day! All documentation was said to have been done, notarized and approved. Dec. 29th we received an email when we inquired about receiving such box, requesting more documents. No, they needed "three" copies of our airline ticket each notarized, not one notarized and then copied two times like we were told. They also needed "two" copies of some "DOU Gazette" which I am not sure what that is but something must have gotten lost in translation. Once we get this all figured out, printed and notarized it will take a day to send to the correct people that will then take a day to approve it and then another day to send us our box. Or they will realize we need to cut down another tree and have that notarized as well, just in case.
This comes on top of the fact we have no local bank cards either. Itau bank screwed up Alex's information and its taken over three weeks for him to be able to pick up a temporary card. He was told last week they would have this "rushed" for him to pick up Monday. Well today is Monday and they said, sorry we are rushing it for Wednesday. We have been using our american cards for the past six weeks that work 50% of the time. Usually we go through 3 visa's and an AmEx to find out this just isn't going to work. Our back up plan is cash or realizing we have run out of cash like the other day when I poured out all the change I had on the counter and had to put back the groceries that I couldn't cover while a line of confused people waited. It will get fun if that happens at a restaurant. "I thought you said you got cash? No, I thought you HAD cash? Sir could we wash dishes?"
We also have a container coming that left Chicago in early December. That is supposed to take 1 month to get here by boat and then another 2 months in customs. IF our mini rainforest of documentation is correct.
Brazil I love you but this is a bit ridiculous.
Efficient: please see Incompetent.
Ok a little mean but I need to air out some frustrations.
We have an air freight box coming from the US that was packed back in early December complete with sheets, towels, pillows, dishes, silverware....etc. Things we well kinda need. The box was supposed to arrive Dec. 23 and instead landed Dec. 27th. Fine. We could wait a few days without those necessary things since we were still living in a hotel. However once we moved into our apartment we have a floor, a mattress, paper towels... none of which help with any of the desired things we enjoy doing like shower and sleep. We didn't want to buy stuff because we thought the box was here and would be delivered any day! All documentation was said to have been done, notarized and approved. Dec. 29th we received an email when we inquired about receiving such box, requesting more documents. No, they needed "three" copies of our airline ticket each notarized, not one notarized and then copied two times like we were told. They also needed "two" copies of some "DOU Gazette" which I am not sure what that is but something must have gotten lost in translation. Once we get this all figured out, printed and notarized it will take a day to send to the correct people that will then take a day to approve it and then another day to send us our box. Or they will realize we need to cut down another tree and have that notarized as well, just in case.
This comes on top of the fact we have no local bank cards either. Itau bank screwed up Alex's information and its taken over three weeks for him to be able to pick up a temporary card. He was told last week they would have this "rushed" for him to pick up Monday. Well today is Monday and they said, sorry we are rushing it for Wednesday. We have been using our american cards for the past six weeks that work 50% of the time. Usually we go through 3 visa's and an AmEx to find out this just isn't going to work. Our back up plan is cash or realizing we have run out of cash like the other day when I poured out all the change I had on the counter and had to put back the groceries that I couldn't cover while a line of confused people waited. It will get fun if that happens at a restaurant. "I thought you said you got cash? No, I thought you HAD cash? Sir could we wash dishes?"
We also have a container coming that left Chicago in early December. That is supposed to take 1 month to get here by boat and then another 2 months in customs. IF our mini rainforest of documentation is correct.
Brazil I love you but this is a bit ridiculous.
