Frustrating Times

This relocation has been one of the most frustrating times in my life.


I am not a total control freak but I do like to be in control of my life. When we're relocating we have to hand out some -or most - of this control to HR. If your company has done it before or does it often there are better changes that they know what they're doing and that they will help you and make the transition smooth. That's not the case with us.


The HR director of our company has never done this before. I remember our conversation on the day I met her. She asked me how many times I had relocated and after I answered 5 or 6 times - some times we moved but did not relocate. Here is how our conversation went: 
HR: - "Well, this relocation is going to be really good."
Me: - "Or bad..."
HR: - "How come?"
Me: - "I know what needs to be done. You haven't done this before. I have my check list and I can help you. Just let me know what you need. But I do have high expectations."
HR: - "Well, I know what I am doing..."
Me: - "We'll see... But let me tell you that I need this to work out. And as you know I need to find a school for the kids and a way to bring my pets in asap!"
HR: - "When do you think you can be here?"
Me: - "If it's only up to us and you can get this 2 things figured out I can be here in 2 weeks."


This conversation happened in mid-August. It is december now and I am still in Sao Paulo. She had no idea what she was doing. She hired the worst relocation company to help her and I lost control of my life. I did send her my check-list. I did everything I could with the HR person here in Brazil - a great guy with lots of will to make this work - but nothing got done in Mexico.


What did they need to get done? The visa, rent the house that we had liked and give us clear instructions about the admissions process with the schools so we would have gotten and answer from the schools earlier.


They screwed up the contract of the house. They told us the visa would be done in 30 to 45 days and it took 70 days for it to be done. So they've created false expectations. And they've kept our family apart.


I know that they have no control on the school issue but they should had told me to bring the kids on my look and see trip back in August to be tested. They didn't, so the whole process got delayed. So do bring your kids to Mexico as early as you can if you are thinking of applying for schools there.


Mexico does have a slower pace. People there NEVER rush to get anything done. And this is why I am considering if I can be happy living there. I know lots of people who love living in Mexico. And I know some people who hate it. I would love to be part of the first group. But I think we may end up moving to Miami - this way I will avoid being part of the second group. In the end, I am a firm believer that we were put in this world to be happy. And this is what we're doing. In Mexico or in Miami, it doesn't matter. I just can't continue to live this frustrated.