In order to go more places, I must get a new book. Since I'm eligible to apply by mail, I have been collecting the required documents. I filled out and printed the application. I purchased a prepaid envelope for the government to send back my new passport. I also took photos in a photo booth, which is always the part that I dread.
Up next on my task list was to secure an international money order. After dropping my son off at school, I headed over to JP Bank, located at the post office. The man who helps people at the entrance fill out the correct forms and directs them to the correct person, immediately approached me when I entered. He did not speak any English and I fumbled with the name of the document that I needed, but was able to finally tell him I needed a "kokusai yubin kawase" or international money order. He gave me the form to fill out and then asked for my MyNumber card (similar to a social security card). I didn't have it. I had a photo of it on my phone, but I didn't have the physical card. He told me emphatically (using the Google translator on my phone) that I needed to go home and get my MyNumber card. I was irritated, but rules are rules in Japan. (I did look it up later and should have known to bring the card with me in the first place.) So, I headed home to get the card.
After picking up my son from school, we returned to the post office. I showed the man at the front my MyNumber card and he quickly showed me to the woman who was going to help me. The woman behind the counter asked me if she should speak in Japanese or English. I told her "English please" with a sigh of relief. I gave her the form, my MyNumber card, and my drivers license. She pulled out a piece of paper and started explaining that their machine was broken and I would have to go somewhere else to get the international money order and it would take 2 weeks to get it. As she went on, I got more and more upset. I felt like my time had been wasted by being told to go get my MyNumber card and return, only to be told to go somewhere else.
Before I knew it, my anger started to come out of my mouth. I was mad and I told the woman behind the counter exactly what was making me mad. I should not have been told to come back if they were not going to be able to give me what I needed. If one of the major machines in the bank was broken, he should have known and not just told me to come back later. I felt like my time was not being respected and I conveyed that. Although the woman was taken aback by my brusque words, she called the gentleman from the front door over and translated my frustration. He just stared at me blankly with a smile pasted on his face.
I grabbed my paperwork and stormed out with my son following behind me. Once outside, I took a deep breath and explained to my son why I was so angry. If someone is having a language barrier, they need to ask for help. He wasted my time and my son's time by simply saying come back instead of knowing what was going on in his place of business and not asking for help. Relying on my Google translator is not sufficient.
I then called my husband. I needed help because I felt like I was up a creek. He called the bank and was told there must have been a miscommunication because their machine was working just fine. I should just go back and they would help me. I did not want to go back. My stubbornness and pride were too fierce. Also, since I had raised my voice, I felt they would have been very nervous helping me as well.
After grabbing some lunch, I took my son to the park to play with his friends. The park moms kindly encouraged me to go to another JP Bank branch. They would watch him so I could get this job done. Finding another branch proved to be a pain because not every post office has a JP Bank and not every branch does international money orders. I tried two other post offices before finding one that could help me.
The woman was very kind and took my form, my MyNumber card, and drivers license with a smile. She told me to sit down and she began to process my form. After a few minutes, she called me back to the counter. She asked me to update some information on my form (I didn't put my middle name on the form and I wrote my apartment number after my neighborhood name instead of in front of it). She also asked me for my passport. I stared blankly back at her. I didn't have my passport. I explained that I lived a 30 minute bike ride away and was not going to get my passport. She offered to ask for a "one time exemption" and told me to sit back down. After waiting for 10 minutes, she called me up again. She told me I was being granted the exemption. I breathed a sigh of relief. Up next, she had a couple questions for me: was I applying for a 5 year or 10 year passport (why would I ever apply for a 5 year passport if I am older than 16???) and where was the money coming from to pay for the passport. I told her I wanted a 10 year passport and the money was coming from me. She shook her head. She wanted to know more specifically where the money was coming from. I raised my eyebrow and told her "my husband's employer..." "Ok" she replied. Really? That was weird. But then she told me the total and I gave her money to pay for the passport fees (¥11,972 or $110) and the money order fee (¥5,000 or $46!!!).
After sitting down again, I was finally called up and told everything had been processed. My receipt, IDs, and change were returned to me. I was finally good to go. Now I just have to wait for a week or two to get the money order in the mail!
Whenever a drama-filled day like today occurs, I wonder if it is me, a translation issue, or just some weird issue with the specific situation. Today started with me. I did not see in my online research that I needed to bring my MyNumber card with me. It was there, I did not see it. But then it transferred into not my issue. It was not my fault that I was told to come back when their machine wasn't working (and we still don't know if it was or was not because it depends on who is asking and providing the information). And when they started asking for ID that wasn't listed as required anywhere, it just boggled my mind.
I picked up my son from the park and headed home. What an ordeal! Luckily, I knew just what to do to lift my spirits. My son and I whipped up and incredible dinner of homemade hummus, Greek pork and onions, and tons of veggies. It might have been a really trying and annoying day, but at least I can end it on a good note!
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