Frustration

A month and an half later, I finally received my bloody ATM card!  It’s really hard to know who to get really pissed at so I chose everyone.  My bank repeatedly got the information I was giving them wrong.  I was literally spelling out every word I said using the Nato phonetic alphabet to assure no spelling errors, yet they still managed to mess it up. Even after having the supervisor repeat my address and phone number to me twice.  

The first attempt at having my card delivered I was not given a tracking number.  When I called to find out where my card was 10 days after the initial order, I was told it was sent back as my street and house didn’t exist.  Now I know we live in the land of illusion, however I’m not that far gone to make up an entire village.

Second attempt…Now very agitated as I was running out of cash which is Indonesian’s favorite way of doing business or they add 3% to your charge card if they even take it.  I gave my bank a different address, my friend’s restaurant, made the supervisor repeat the address and phone number 3 times.  I was assured once again it would be there quicker as they now use VISA’s method of shipment.  10 days later…no fucking card.  I called my bank back to find out they had no record of me ordering a second card!  This is a major financial institution where talking about.  Not only did they not have record of a second card somehow they lost the notes saying that I was traveling.  And my email address was erased. At least my money was still there. Anger now really starting a rolling bubbling under the skin.  So beyond the supervisor I go.

Third attempt…Fucking pissed!  After tearing quite a few strips off the manager I was absolutely assured that my card would get to me in 3 days.  Three days go by…no card.  Fuck.  Call the bank yet again bypassing customer service, supervisors and right to as high as I could go, I finally obtained a tracking number for my card.  Here is why they don’t give tracking numbers out...My card left Toronto, then went to Louisville, Kentucky.  From Kentucky back up to Anchorage, Alaska.  From Alaska to Hong Kong, from Hong Kong to Changi, Singapore, to Jakarta Indonesia, to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia and then…well then they had no idea what to do with it.  How is this express post?  It’s bad enough that a 1^st world country can’t manage express mail, but then there is the Indonesian Post…I’m surprised anything gets delivered here at all.

I checked the tracking number and when I saw that they tried to deliver my card twice and was going to sent back I absolutely lost it!  I hunted down the phone number for the Denpasar UPS office, which is about an hour from Ubud, and managed to get them before they put my card back in the mail.  “I’m sorry Mme, but your address is in correct”  BULLSHIT!!  Not only that they didn’t even attempt to call me to check and they had my phone number!  What it came down too…money of course.  I had to pay duty and taxes and a something a little extra to get my card.

I was warned about this.  But to experience the corruption that goes on here in infuriating. Not just in Indonesia but with the banking system in North America…OK the World Bank. I did my absolute best to have my bank pay for everything and of course they will have none of it.  I did my best to make suggestions to the Indonesian Post…They didn’t care as long as you are able to spend money. They don’t get it if you don’t have your card you can’t spend. Of course the more you open your mouth the more likely you are to get yourself in trouble..  Something I really don’t need or want to experience.  The more I’m exposed to the fuckery of the world the more I want to hide out in the mountains and lakes in some vast space.  Looks like I might be coming home after all.

Now after all this I’m very leery of using the ATM machines in Indo as it was one that swallowed my card to begin with.  Thank God I’m leaving in a week.