Tales of a return: If you can't deal with bureaucracy, you can always clean up the creek

It is almost 1 am and it does not feel too late to start writing. In the US, I would have had a panic attack to even think about something so outrageous. Time here is so different. It is almost like everything is moved two hours later.

We wake up between 9 and 10 am, have lunch around 1 and 2 pm, snack is between 5 and 6 pm and dinner is never ever before 9 pm!!! Today I started to cook around 8:30 pm and it felt perfectly normal. This is one aspect of my culture which I now realized I missed. People are laid back about time and things work in a later schedule.

There are other aspects of the culture that are actually driving me nuts. Well, it is not the culture, it is the bureaucracy of the establishment that is driving me bananas.

This morning we went to the bank! Yes, we actually walked into the building. I had not set foot in a bank since circa 2005, when we went the headquarters of USAA in San Antonio, Texas (can't remember what for?)

We went to both Santander and HSBC, just trying to open a saving's account. Could not do it. I have the ID to do it as an Argentine, but I do not have a way to show I earn a legal income. They could not care less that I am a homemaker and my income comes from my generous husband, who was standing next to me and had his salary stub at hand. Of course, Zach, as a foreigner without proper ID, could not open an account either. Rules and regulations, f...those!

Without an account, we are not sure if we can get a car or if we can get insurance. By the way, neither Zach or I are legally allowed to drive my mom's car or any car unless is a rental car. Here, to drive somebody else's car, the owner of said car has to do some paperwork for you to carry a "blue card" (or so is called) which is you legal permit to drive that car.

What???? Sounds crazy but this is just the way it is.

As if we hadn't have enough by then with the banks, we left and got into the office of OSDE, the most popular and reputable medical insurance in Argentina. Like Blue Cross, Blue Shield, or something on those lines. Offices were just in the same strip mall as the bank so it seemed convenient.

Ha ha!

The lady in the reception explained to us that she could not give us a quote for coverage given my recent diagnosis and surgery, which of course, I mentioned. She said I have to go to the headquarters in the city, an hour from Manzanares, with copies of my medical records to have a meeting with an auditor to evaluate my case. Then the cost will be decided by a medical team and will be communicated to me via snail mail in a notarized letter!

Oh well...
The girl at least gave us the quotes applicable to "healthy and normal" people. Yes, she said that. "Este el precio para personas sanas y normales." Thank you, said abnormal and sick client, AKA me. When she heard the tone of my thank you and saw my face she took it back.

So, after a day full of frustration and tireless thinking, trying to figure out what should be our next step in order to fully function as a happy and engaged family within this society, I decided to put the computer and the phone away and, with Fede and the kids, we left to the creek to clean up trash from the creek's banks!

That was a fun, and refreshing, and a meaningful activity to do after such a day. It was not that hot and we all felt great! That is exactly what I wanted to do and I did it. My old self would have stayed and tried to get things accomplished. I hesitated, but I realized what was truly important. Paperwork can wait. An afternoon with your brother, kids and dog cleaning up the creek, can not.

Poor Zach, not only he spent all morning doing frustrating and fruitless paperwork, but also he worked the afternoon and could not join in for the walk and creek fun. Hopefully, he will go for a run tomorrow!

I posted the photos that we took today in FB but they are still in my phone. Meanwhile, here are the photos of another little outing to the creek that Nico, Luci and Coni did with Santi and Florencia in our first week here. They had a great time, and of course Pakita went along and took a bath!