I think the most painful and horrible emotion to feel is helplessness. It conjurs up all kinds of other emotions that cause this bubbling mess of confusion, fear, worry, and stress that you just don't know what to do with. The instinct of "fight or flight" somehow kicks in, and both sides of that instinct kick in too.
Our agency has been uncommunicative for over a week now. I can't get them to contact us back. Most of the staff has decided that it would be an excellent time to take anywhere from a week to three weeks off. The ones there? Won't call back.
All we know is that acceptances have not gone back to China yet.
I have friends in other travel groups. Ones that have gotten scared and worried after seeing what our travel group went thru trying to get referrals...to get our children's files. Some of them have emailed my agency, asking what happened, how this happened, and is this their SOP. Those people, the ones not "really" affected by the outrageous happenings, have gotten responses. As far as I know, only one family in the travel group was even given a hint of what happened. My friend in the next group up, she got a long flowing email about how this isn't how they work, outside circumstances caused these issues (ummmm....from what I've gathered, they didn't call to make sure the translator was in the country, and the box of referrals was sitting there with no one to translate), they weren't at fault, and they are working to put processes in place so that it doesn't happen again.
Funny, something else "outside their control" happened when my agency took 2 weeks to translate my nieces' referrals over a year ago, and they put controls in place back then too.
Ummmmm...I think 2 phone calls would be all the controls needed. And one required ETA date.
Our fingerprints expire mid-March. We don't know if we are going to travel by then. I don't know if I have to renew them, or not. I don't know if we can get them done in that amount of time. I don't know if we have to...
I don't know when acceptances are going back.
I don't know when I'll meet my daughter. My perfect, beautiful daughter.
I don't know why they won't call back.
I don't know if we need to be refingerprinted.
I don't know why our agency can't tell us, the people screwed, what happened.
I don't know why we can't get an apology.
I don't know why they don't seem to make any initiative to make us a family.
I don't know why I have to fight for my daughter, for every piece - scrap - of information.
I don't know why they don't care.
I don't know what CCAA thinks when they see our "unclaimed" referrals lying on someone's desk.
I do know that she's not unwanted. She's the most wanted child I could ever imagine. I don't want them to think that.
I don't know what to do.
7 comments:
I feel HORRIBLE for you!! I have to ask who is your agency???
What a horrible situation to be in. I have never heard of anything like this happening at an agency. I wonder if the RQ crowd could help shed some light? I'm sorry. I really feel for you right now.
Just wanted to send my thoughts and prayers your way! I'm so sorry!! I think that when all this is over, if you choose to not use them again (which I'm assuming you WON'T!), and when you're daughter is home, you should make sure this is known to the BBB and I think there's a 'rate your agency' site. Maybe even give the info to the CHEW lady. There is no excuse for your family having to go through with this and others shouldn't be treated like this in the future!! I'm so sorry that you're being put through this during what should be the BEST time of your life, so far! I look forward to your posts with her in your arms and all this s%#t out of the way!
This is inexcusable!! I am so sorry you are having to go through this heartache. I'm sending positive thoughts and wishes your way.
Update your fingerprints. Do it. You'll be doing something to advance the process, your hands will continue to be clean, and they'll need to be valid until you get back from China anyway. Document everything. When you get back, contact the State Dept., let them know what happened and that this is an agency that will need to be watched. Of course they are responsible. They hire the outside contractors to do whatever and are responsible for everything those contractors do or don't do. For this part of the process, the buck stops with the agency. Out-bleepin'-rageous!
Sorry if you've already done things like this, but can you send a letter to them by registered mail and cc a lawyer to see if they respond to that? I've tried that in other situations without even paying a lawyer (just asked a friend whose a lawyer if I could use their name) and got a response. I know my company reacts faster if they think a lawyer is involved too. Just my 2 cents, which is exactly what it's worth :)
ljsa from the 12-20 board
I meant 12-2005 board :)
Post a Comment