Good Day
My blogs are more often negative than not. Maybe that's because I am more motivated to write when I am irritated. Sorry. Every reader deserves a few positive articles, and in the future when I am looking back on this electronic public-diary, the happy articles it will be an aiding reminder that my experience was equally wonderful as it was difficult.
"In the Hopes for a Better Future"
In August I blogged about my "Ongoing Complaints" which were related to lack of response to my emails, the receiving of incorrect information, lack of communication about important events, and lack of follow through all on the part of my host institution's international office. I continued (continue) to encounter these issues and got fed up about two weeks ago when I was sent an email about "Important Information" missing from my files. To my knowledge at that time I had given them everything they asked for, but what I didn't know is that they needed something they never asked for.
A RNE is an identification card for foreigners. Upon entering Brazil all exchange students must apply for a RNE and the official ID will be sent to your temporary residence from Brasilia a few months later. In the meantime, we foreigners carry around a paper version of it. What I was not informed of was that after receiving this little paper I needed to return to the Federal Police and ask them for my official RNE number. This I was not told. It was a very simple issue to resolve. Once I learned it was needed I went back to the Federal Police station and got it in a matter of minutes. The problem was, that once again, I was not given information.
The same day I retrieved my RNE number, the day after I was told it was needed, I sent a clear and respectful email to the International Office, voicing my issue with the fact that I did not receive this information earlier. I briefly apologized for voicing my frustration to the student intern who was receiving my email and asked her to pass it along to someone who could appropriately receive my concerns in the hopes that they would attempt to fix these issues in the future.
Checkmate
In record response time the director of the International Office informed me that it was the Federal Police who should have told me I needed to return and that if I wanted to voice anymore complaints I could meet her in her office. I agreed. Today was that meeting. I created a specific list of previously mentioned issues and went in her office desperately hoping not to offend or cry (ugghhh...this happens).
Relief
To my surprise the faculty member at my host institution responsible for setting up the student exchange between Fisher and ESALQ came too. He sat down with a pad of paper and started taking notes as if I was teaching a class. They listened to what I believed to be weak areas of the program and after each aspect I mentioned we briefly discussed ideas on how to improve them. The director of the international office at times was defensive but overall I considered the meeting to be a success. Maybe I'll bake her some cookies so she knows there are no hard feelings.
Double Good Day
The arrival of my man buddy is only four days away. He actually arrives Tuesday, but around 4 AM, so that can't be counted as a day, and the sun has already set here so I stick with my previous statement of "only four days". We plan for a bit of sight seeing and beach going and then a quick return to the beautiful Piracicaba to celebrate my 23 years of life. I excite!
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