Communication is a major problem here in China. In the US- we're quick to acknowledge and respond to emails so at least the recipient will know when to expect a resolution. Here- radio silence. No response, no acknowledgment. The mentality is ... if we don't respond, it'll just go away.Tony's expense reimbursements since August have not been paid out. After sending numerous emails to the finance department ..... three weeks later we finally get an answer. It seems that the reimbursements have been deposited into a colleague's account. Oops. Finance writes an email to his colleague and asks that he give the cash to Tony. Maybe the finance department doesn't see the issue that is blatantly glaring at me. There is a paper trail issue. In the US- finance would offset the cash paid out against any future expense reports submitted by the colleague. Finance will then pay out the outstanding expense reimbursements to Tony again and DEPOSIT it into the right account. Two weeks go by, no cash has been handed and now we're at a crossroads.
I'm tempted to do something Soprano like. You know..."Badda bing, badda boom. You don't hand over da cash, I'm a gonna hafta take you to the back and rough you up a bit. I'm gonna get Paulie involved and he's gonna hafta knee cap you." My other option is call in the Chinese triads. The way I see it, It's nice to be set up on both sides. Life has it's advantages here. I often tell Matthew if anyone bothers him at school, he should say he has ties to the mob and to the triads. That ought to keep the bullies at bay. I have an over active imagination. I know. I know.
Getting back to the expense reimbursement fiasco. The other day, I went to the bank to check on the reimbursements. I wait over an hour at the bank only to be told that Tony has to appear at the branch where the account was opened with his passport, work permit and some other documentation. The teller muttered something that I didn't quite understand. All I can figure out was the account had been suspended.
Tony takes the day off today. Mr. Miao, Tony's driver takes us to the branch which is 1.5 hours away from our home. We wait in line to speak to a teller and before our eyes, several people are gathered at the terminal and they are whispering something about the account status. One representative is on the phone but no one tells us what is going on. Finally after 1.5 hours, it turns out the account was suspended because someone was trying to electronically transfer funds out of the account. Uh, hello .... did anyone try to contact us about this? No. The bank just suspends your account without sending out a letter or even try to contact you by phone. Oh, yeah, right. I forgot. No communication.
After 3 hours at the bank, I am happy to report that the account has been reinstated and Tony can go along his merry little way and I can continue my day job as his accountant, secretary and bouncer without pay. Now, I just have to find my brass knuckles and rough up his colleague and shake the lunch money out of him. Just kidding.
