La Paciencia de Esperar

So today's goal was to get all my documents that I need in order to be hired onto IBM Mexico.  I was pretty sure it was a tall order, but since I have no car, the only option is to take the day off as it's too far to the IBM site to do a half day and I have too many meetings for me to work from home.  The only option was to clear my calendar and focus on it for one day.

I started this morning with my tax number.  It required an appointment, which I had made several weeks in advance at 8:30am.  I was already running late and on top of that was expecting to be stuck in quite a bit of traffic, so needless to say I was in a hurry.  Now generally, the busy street closest to mine is filled with taxis, so I wasn't too concerned about finding one.  However, I believe there's a rule decreed in the universe that if you're in a big hurry, the universe automatically makes several million of the city's taxis disappear.  I don't know where they go, I don't know why they disappear, but there is probably nothing quite as frustrating as you berate yourself for not calling in advance one of the million of taxi drivers' phone numbers programmed into your cell phone.  I, of course, waste several minutes trying to find the best corner.  I inevitably find a corner where lots of taxis are passing (generally on the opposite side of the street) and then inexplicably all the taxis pass by the other corner where you were just standing.  I repeat this (moving from corner to corner) until I find myself swearing and wondering why me.  Clearly, the best method is staying put (just as if you were lost... which come to think of it... maybe I am).

I finally find a taxi and he miraculously makes good time and I only end up being 10 minutes late to my appointment.  Luckily, they don't seem to care if you're late here cause I walked in and they immediately attended me.  After seeing the long "no appointment" line, I was glad I had made an appointment.  The process for getting your tax number was pretty painless... which makes sense, cause the government is probably pretty keen on getting your money and doesn't want you to wimp out after a 2 hour wait.  After maybe 20 minutes max, I was on my out to find another taxi to take me to the "Palacio Federal" to get my CURP -- Unique Key Population Register.

I didn't have an appointment, indeed, it wasn't possible to make one.  This was the one I was dreading.  I was sure it was going to be huge wait.  I'd been to the Palacio before to get finger printed and it was just jam packed of people.  I got there and it was fairly quiet (meaning about 100 people instead of the 200.  Thank goodness that Mexicans don't like to get up early.  There was a little waiting, but it wasn't bad and I was in and out in less than an hour.  I was pleasantly surprised and was now making plans for my afternoon since it was clear I was going to be done by 11am.  That's when it all went to pot.  I should've known better.

I took a taxi down the road to the IMSS (Social Security office).  I arrive and enter and ask to get my social security number. 

A quick detour.  I called every one of these agencies to make sure I had everything I needed... copies of my FM2 (immigration document), my passport, etc.  I made sure I knew what they needed beforehand.

So, I was livid when the lady asks me for my birth certificate... SAY WHAT.  I, of course, had brought nothing of the sort.  I don't even have the original with me here in Mexico (I didn't want to lose it).  I walk out super mad that I had come all this way and I won't be able to finish my errands... I'll have to take ANOTHER day off to do the rest.  I sit and stew for a little and then I decide I better walk back in and make sure I have everything I need the next time.  So, the lady clarifies that I need my birth certificate.  I tell her I don't have the original, but I have a copy.  She tells me a copy should work, but that it needs to be translated.  I'm livid at this point and I ask what she means by translated.  She says I can go to any university to get it translated.  She says I need my passport, FM2 and CURP.  I leave, find a taxi, and go home.  On the way home, it hits me.  What does a university have that I don't?  How can they tell the difference?  Surely a translation from a university isn't sufficient to prove it was translated correctly.

I get home and try to figure out how I print a copy of my birth certificate... thinking now that if I can get that copied, I can still try and finish today.  I call IMSS again to make sure of the requirement since a translation from a university surely won't work.  The first time, they tell me that all I need is my FM2 and passport.  LIARS.  And I pretty much tell them that.  They double check and then they say... oh you need "seguro"... Um. Yes?  I clarify and say I need my seguro social.  They transfer me and the people start asking me health questions and how much I want to pay.  Um. No.  I try to tell her I'm not looking for insurance, but that I'm looking for my "seguro social".  She continues to ask me questions.  I refuse to answer and tell her that it shouldn't cost me any money.  I just want to be able to work for a company here.  OHHHHH.  "You need your number".  Yes.  Yes, I do.  She transfers me and I get the same idiots I got before.  After probably a half hour on the phone, they finally tell me my certificate doesn't need to be translated since I have my FM2.  Yes that would make sense... if the US gov trusts my birth certificate enough to give me a passport and the Mexican gov trusts it enough to issue me an ID, surely that should be enough for you.  They also say I should go to the delegation in Zapopan instead of Guadalajara since I'm in Zapopan (I'm assuming that means closer).  So I get the address and head out.

I find a computer "cafe" of sorts and I'm able to print a copy of my birth certificate.  I head off to the nearest busy street and find NO taxis.  TYPICAL.  I wait for probably 5 minutes.  NOTHING.  So, I head back the way I came to the other busy street.  I'm not 5 minutes down the street when I look back and see a taxi.  Unbelievable.  I keep going to the other street and I find a taxi several minutes later.  The great thing is... I'm pretty sure the Zapopan delegation is FARTHER away than the Guadalajara delegation.  Ridiculous.

Not only further, but busier.  I finally get there and the place is PACKED.  I mean PACKED.  There is no way to describe how full it was.  I just couldn't even wrap my mind around how many people were there.  I get a number 2238 (yes, I was there so long that I memorized it) and I stood since there was no sitting space.  I soon realize that each window (I think there were 30 windows) had their own number.  Some were at #883, others were at #1500.  Yes, there are SO many people that they had to have separate numbers for each line, which means my 2238 could mean that I'm the 2,238th person to visit in order to get a social security number.  Who are all these people that need social security numbers??  Are they getting them for their newly born kids cause they all seem pretty old to me.

About an hour into waiting, a seat finally opens up and I can sit.  My feet thanked me.  This also meant I could read while I wait.  I guess I could've read before, but it's uncomfortable reading while standing in a can of sardines.  After another half hour, one of the ladies at the window announces the system is down.  I'm worried cause it's now 1:30 and at the rate they were going, they might close before they get to my number (they close at 3:30... yes they were going that slow that two hours still seemed like a hope and a prayer for me to get in before then).  After another half hour the system is back up and my butt is now wishing I were standing, but my feet are vehemently against the idea.  Then the only thing that could make waiting worse is some people decided to bring their kids.  I can barely wait this long without throwing a tantrum... how is a KID supposed to handle it??  Luckily one of the employees speeds up this woman's documents so she can leave and I begin to wonder if that's why she brought her kid.

About a half hour later, my number is called (somewhat earlier as numbers 2234, 2235, 2236, and 2237 apparently lost patience and left) and I get my number in about 2 minutes.  DONE.

I go home and lay down, thankful that I was able to get all the documentation I needed in one day and that I don't have to go back in another day.  I guess the Lord DOES answer prayers... if they're fervent enough... and believe you me, they were fervent.