Entries this day: transcript_success!

transcript success!

12:50pm JST Tuesday 12 April 2011 (day 14993)

Wow. I've been relatively slacky recently regarding getting a copy of my UH transcript to the Japanese immigration office; by 15 April, the immigration office wants a copy before giving me a three year engineering work visa.

A few weeks ago, I got a letter saying they want the transcript. I called them and was like, "yo; don't you remember getting the transcript last time I got an 3 year engineering visa?"

and they were like, "well, we know you got a visa, but your certificate may have expired since then."

"Hmmmmm fair enough, but don't you have a copy of it?"

"Naw; we throw that shiz away; the good news is we just need a copy; it doesn't have to be an original."

"hmm!"

So I emailed Fred and emailed Dad and they were like "yeah it turns out you have to order it yourself, due to a new law in Texas."

"dang"

"But you can do it online!"

"yee haw!"

Turns out, I cannot do it online because I graduated before 2000, but I sent them a FAX request (thanks Lin!) and called a couple days later and spoke with Annie.

"I have your fax right here on my desk, but it looks like you have a Stop on your records; apparently you owe some money from the last time we sent you transcripts."

"hmmm yes well, um, I live in Japan blah blah blah,"

"Okay, I'll keep your faxed request, and give you your username for our online system, except that it's down right now and can't be used. Please call financial services and sort out your bill with them, and I'll send you an email so you can email me back; I can only imagine it costs a lot to call from Japan."

"It's an investment, but thank you."

She didn't send an email, and I didn't try to log on to the system being upgraded for six days. All that ended last night when I realized they'd all be awake, the system should be up, and I had only a couple days til I had to tell the immigration office something.

I called financial services to see if I could get around making the payment now. Mario was like, "well you owe $31.25, and I can't remove the stop without that being paid."

"Can you take an electronic check?"

"yes"

"Good, but I can't login to the system; it says my password doesn't exist."

"You'd have to talk to IT."

"Can you transfer me?"

"yes"

I talked to Franklin in IT, who promptly got my account activiated. "Your password is your last name, all lower case, exclamation point, fifty-one"

"Cool." I didn't write it down, but I asked if he could hang on while I logged in. He could; I did; I changed my password to something far more complex. (thanks, passifier!)

I called my bank to find out my routing number and ask wtf I had a $12 service charge on a lifetime free account.

"Well, we sent you a letter in February to state that due to Federal Law, all accounts have fees"

A Federal fucking law that bank accounts have fees????? "I see. Is that for all banks in the United States?"

"yes sir."

"Where does that money go?"

She checked with her supervisor and said it goes to the bank.

"Is this call being recorded?"

"yes sir."

"What I'm about to say has nothing to do with you; I know you're innocent in all of this. But I just want to say that I hate the United States government right now. What they're doing is unfair, and just hurts people like you and me. Tell the CIA and FBI and all those guys that they're not doing the right thing and I'm really angry about it. There; sorry; you shouldn't have had to hear that," and I wished I had had something scripted that included "Anonymous is coming, and we're on to all you banking family chumps."

I got my routing number, verified funds, hit the my.uh.edu website and tried to pay my bill, but it showed 0 (and therefore the pay by check amount was 0).

Called financial services and was like, "um," and they said it might take a bit to update the amount in the system.

It's been 5 years that I owed the money, but I guess they mean transferred into the newly upgraded system.

The amount changed from 0 to 31.25 while I was on the phone with them; I paid via check; they confirmed the payment and transferred me to the transcript office.

I asked Louise if they still had my transcript request. "Annie's out to lunch, but can you just fax another copy?"

"Um, no, but will she be back later?"

"yes; in 30 minutes."

"Cool"

And I called back 30 minutes later. She wasn't back in yet, but then she was and I was like, "Annie!!!" and she saw that I had gotten everything sorted and said she'd process the transcript request asap.

"Is there any way to simply send an electronic version? I just need to print it and show them."

"Um, well, we're not supposed to do that normally,"

I asked again, explaining how it would really help with my deadline in a couple days and let me get my work visa; etc.

She was like, "okay; I'll send it out by the end of the day. What time is it there?"

"4:30 in the morning."

"Well, you'll have it in the morning."

"Oh, Annie; thank you so much!"

"You're welcome"

"If I were to send you a box of chocolates in the mail, how can we do that?"

"Just the simple fact that you would do it is enough."

"haha; okay; well, thank you very much."

Five hours later I woke up and checked my mail. I had a pdf of my transcript from Annie! And her office address is in the footer so I can send her chocolate!

I emailed her back and hope to send her chocolate soon.