Secrets of Sylvia

So, I'm a bit upset about this situation. It's been brewing in me for quite a while. When we applied to work overseas, the employer needed our diplomas to prove we had our B.A. The people who issue the visas needed to inspect the seal on our degrees. I know with companies like JET, you don't need to actually submit your degree, but just the transcripts (providing they have the seal). This was important to me, because I had just graduated, meaning I wouldn't have my degree for several weeks. I explained this to the employer, telling them that the transcripts were actually more official than the degree.

The employer made a big deal about this saying they really needed the degree. To deviate from what was expected was frowned upon in this country. My husband sent his and I spent countless time on the phone trying to get the school to release my degree early. Finally, I was able to get a release of my transcripts with the seal released early along with a letter from the school stating that I did earn a degree there. Our soon-to-be employer was not happy about this, but decided to take it and try to get our visas with it anyway; when I received my degree, I was to give them it ASAP. In the end, I only gave them a copy--of which they expected me to copy before arriving at the company so as not to waste their copy paper and ink.

Everything worked out well--the visa people, of coarse, accepted the transcripts and I was issued a working visa.

So we arrive, and the employer informs us that she lost my husband's degree. She knows it's around the house and look for it, so don't worry.

Lost his degree. His. degree. How in the world do you lose somebody's degree? All those years of work--how do you lose a frickin' degree?

Later, we were told she didn't have time to look for it, so to look into getting a new degree--they would, of coarse, pay any fees.

Shouldn't they be the ones to research into that? It was them that lost it, right?

So we looked into it. It was a $45 fee. The employer said to hold off sending for it because they had a year to look for it before having to pay the fee. And we needed to send a check (we didn't have any more checks on us and for some reason, they won't go to the bank to get an international check--somehow, this is all our responsibility. I guess as long as they pay the money, they're guilt-free.).

So, after a year, we visited back to our hometown. I ordered more checks (which costs money...money that won't be re-reimbursed to us, even though we have no other reason to use these checks). But then we noticed something important on the website--we can't get an actual replacement of the degree. The degree will say, "duplicate," on it. After all that work for a piece of paper, it will say "duplicate."

We brought this up to the employers who said, if we went to the university (you know, because we go there all the flippin' time even though it's across the world and an hour or so away from our hometown) and explained the situation they should give us an actual degree--afterall, she said, they have the paper and seal. But I happen to know from some googling, that it is NOT that easy. They WILL NOT give us an actual degree.

I told her, I was concerned because this job required we show a degree, and if we applied to other countries, they may require the same.

Her response was to have them call them and they will explain the situation. They have a good record with the Board here. Okay--but we want to go to another country! I don't think a phone call from their little school verfies years of hard work to another company. And why would they go through all that work when they can just hire somebody who has their degree on hand?

I was upset, also, that the blame was being put on the school during this conversation--they have the paper and seal, why can't they just print off another one?

For crying out loud, would it hurt you to offer a sincere apology for losing a flipppin' degree? Why can't they see how big of a deal this is--especially since family told us that we shouldn't trust them with the degrees in the first place. If they want the actual degree (not a copy or transcript), we shouldn't trust them and go with another company.

I guess they were right. I mean, they don't even seem to see the symbolic significance behind this--YOU LOST HIS DEGREE!

Not to mention, when we first came here, my husband supposedly lost something important of theirs (he didn't) and in the end, when it was in the place he said it was, it was still made to look like it was his fault in front of all the other employees and she left a nasty note to him saying how hard she had to search and how frustrated she was until she found it (in the place he said it was).

Yeah, I was a bit p**sed about this and it gave me a very negative impression of the company (along with other happenings when we first arrived--but those are for another post).

So, I am currently frustrated at this whole ordeal. They will continue to look for it, though it sounds as if they've looked "everywhere" and the degree won't turn up. My husband will write the school to see if there is at all any possible way to get his degree.

Meanwhile, I hold off a nice, easy-going front, but inside, I am boiling.

Anyone who reads this and can make me feel justified in my moment of anger, I will be eternally grateful. Thank you.