The dreaded bank and other random thoughts…
- First dot point of the day goes to the bank- and the bank lady been such a bitch. Basically for the clinic where I am giving birth we have to pay half of the costs by the time I am 20 weeks pregnant- we decided we would just pay it all at my next appointment and then they refund any that is not used or charge us a little extra when we leave (ie, if baby is born on a Sunday if costs more, or if I stay longer than 5 nights etc)- so I went today to get the money from the bank. Shun asked me to get a bit extra as well to put in our other account and also some for his mum to furikome to his company since he didn`t actually get paid yesterday like we were expecting and instead his first pay is July 25th but that is another story (which means he actually owes his company money for taxes, insurance etc- his mum paid it every month on his behalf while we were away since he did not quit his job and was technically just on unpaid leave). Anyway back to the bank. Now I had the bank card, the bank book, my foreigners card and a copy of our koseki and I had my own “hanko/inkan” or stamp. I needed to go speak to the bank lady because I wanted to take out more than normal and it was impossible to do at the ATMS. I filled in the paperwork, i waited patiently for my number to be called and then went to the window. I explained what I was doing and she said “okay, now stamp here” and I stamped. And then she said the stamps didn`t match and I said “yeah, that is my stamp” and she said “where is Shun`s stamp?” and I said ” he needed it for work so I don`t have it”- then she accused me of not being married to him. Yep, that is right, she said “how can we know you are married to him” so I showed my foreigners card and koseki which clearly states Shun & I are married. THEN, she said well maybe i was trying to steal “his” money because I didn`t have his stamp. I lost it and called her a stupid Japanese woman and that the reason this was an issue is because Japan doesn`t allow joint accounts and how dare she say I was not married to Shun and trying to steal his money because damn it that money is not his it is ours” – then I threw the peice of paper at her and walked out. Yeah I don`t think they will like me much at that bank anymore. I went to another ATM and drew out the limit and had to walk to the post office to get money out of our Australian account to make up the difference. Banks in Japan really piss me off and make things 10 x harder than they need to be. At my other bank a couple weeks ago I had issues before we got our koseki, in which i could not prove my maiden name so therefore could not change my name on my account as maybe it wasn`t me. Even though I showed my old passport they said that it was not a Japanese document so they could not accept it- I couldn`t change my name on my account until the Koseki was done (I couldn`t even do it with my foreigners card). STUPID BANKS. Shun was very angry when I told him they accused me of not being married to him and stealing his money. The truth is, a lady I used to work with had the same issue once and she actually had the inkan but they still accused her of trying to steal her husbands money. He was a doctor and they didn`t believe she was married to him. Issue was that her Japanese was not so great so she took me along to translate for him- they ended up calling her husband and he went right off at them for accusing his wife of trying to steal money.
- There is a store about 500m from Shun`s parents place called “Doggy Style” and been the immature child that I am, I giggle everytime I walk past it. It is a salon for dogs by the way!
- This weekend is the first “quiet” weekend I am having since coming back to Japan. Our only plans are to go to SILs parents place to take a gift and say thank you (they gave us money for our wedding- We have met them only once) and to go apartment hunting on Sunday. It will be nice to sleep in tomorrow- not that I can`t technically sleep in everyday since I still have no job but still- it will still be nice.
- I have been home pretty much the last two days (except for a trip to the supermarket and the bank) but earlier in the week I was busy, busy, busy! I made two new foreign friends this week- Zoe and Cassie. Zoe I met as she had a private student she wanted to pass over to me (Yay, that is right, I have one lesson a month to teach now 4 stations away- at least it is a start!)- turns out Zoe and I got on really great and she has a little boy so we are going on a picnic next Monday. Cassie I met for lunch on Wednesday and we also hit it off straight away- her little daughter Nana is so cute, even when she is putting her foot in her mummy`s lunch!!! We also have plans to meet up again soon. While I really really need a job, I have to say a life of meeting up with friends and picnics etc really appeals to me! Shame It cant last forever (as we would run out of money-hehe!). Cassie has also offered to give me some of her baby stuff which is awesome!!! I also got to go to Kichijoji (to meet Cassie) which is my old stomping ground- man I LOVE that part of Tokyo. I would give anything to live back in West Tokyo but it would mean we would be too far away from Shun`s parents if we needed help with anything and also the rent is more than a little pricey! When we lived in Kichijoji we paid 90,000 a month for a tiny 1K apartment. With a baby- that just would not work! haha! I also met up with Khea for a trip to Akachan Honpo and managed to pick up a couple of small baby things that I could lug home like a blanket (so cute!), and some other more boring stuff like baby nail clippers, thermometer and hairbrush!
- I almost fainted on the train between Asakusabashi and Akihabara the other day- I think Akihabara station hates me as that is where I threw up on the platform just a few weeks ago. Basically I was standing on the train, started to feel really sick and was concentrating really hard on not vomitting when all of a sudden I could no longer hear anything, my eyes went cloudy and I started concentrating on not fainting. I knew it was coming and I knew that if I didn`t get off and get some air I was going to faint into some smelly salaryman`s lap. In the end some nice guy helped me off and bought me some water and then got on the next train while I waited until I could see again (seriously I could see nothing for about 5 minutes- it was scary). I ended up having to get off the next train I got on as well beacuse I started feeling dizzy again. Pretty scary stuff.
- Shun is going to be working on a big project from July- this is good in terms of it will give him something to do (this past month since going back to work he has not had much on) however it does mean that overtime will come back into play. He has worked for this company before (he does computer systems engineering on projects for other companies- most of it is done from his own office but this one will mean going to their office at Tokyo station) and last time he did insane amounts of overtime which included weekends and coming home some nights at 3am. I do hope it doesn`t get as bad as that again because that was insane.
- We hope to be out of the in-laws place by end of July- YAY! While staying here is not so bad, I am sure anyone reading can understand that it will be nice to have our own place and be able to unpack all our stuff and set up our own place. Hopefully we can find somewhere nice in the next couple of weeks- most likely in Moto-Yawata (where we are now) or in Nishi-Funabashi or Funabashi. Please send us “find good apartment you can afford” vibes!
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Ugh! The bank! I fucking hate the bank system here.
That sounds so horrible to have to deal with, not to mention being ACCUSED of things by a teller. *pat pat* I’m glad you managed to figure something else out, but still… wow. Just wow.
I had fun too! I can’t think of anything more fun than baby shopping!
Glad you found a few things to get started too =) Did you also get a 500en off next purchase coupon in the mail? (Maybe you signed up for it to come by email)
I actually got added on FB by Cassie. We chatted for quite a while and she seems pretty neat too! So I guess my list of foreign friends is growing too =) We definitely need each other in order to survive here.
Heh…doggy style…. love it. <3 But yea, I’ll send you good apt vibes if you send me some! I soooooo want to move too. I think I’ll take a picture of my baby “stack” for you to see how insane this little 1K is getting XD
I think you handled yourself WAY better than I would have!! I would have done more than just throw a piece of paper at her and call her stupid. I can not believe that she accused you of lying about Shun being your husband!! We didn’t even bother trying to get joint accounts or just using Naoki’s card. I just couldn’t be bothered going through all the hassle and by the sounds of it, I’m glad I didn’t!! Naoki ordered me a ‘family’ credit card which I use for most of my purchases. The money is automatically taken out of Naoki’s bank account every month before we have to pay interest or anything which so far has worked out ok.
It sounds like you had a great day with both Khea and Cassie!! I’m very jealous that you have the chance of meeting such wonderful people so easily… I hope that when I come up to see you in Tokyo you will introduce me to some of your new found friends. I definitely want to come up after ponyo is born… sounds like a trip to Tokyo is needed!!
I bought a baby blanket as well…. they are just gorgeous, aren’t they! So small and soft and cute!! I find shopping for babies so much fun – even the pretty boring stuff like ear buds, lol!!
I think you should mention to your doctor at your next appointment about your dizziness… it is rather worrying. I would hate you to faint somewhere where nobody would be able to help…
Good luck on your apartment hunting!! Please let me know if you find something. I might not be online for the next few days. I’m not sure exactly when our internet will be up and running in the new apartment.
Khea- Yeah banks here suck. I haven`t gotten anything in the mail from akachan honpo but maybe I will get a mail? I told them to just email cos we are moving soon and the address will change- after that I might sign up for it to come in the post. Buying baby stuff is so much fun hey!
Cassie said she contacted you- I am seeing her next week again- but the time after that if we go out in Kichijoji then you should definitely come! Kichijoji is awesome and I think we will go to the Thai open air place in the park!!!
I will send you “apartment” vibes too! A 1K with a baby- ARGH!
Nay- Joint accounts are not possible- So while I have an account here in my name and an account in Australia, we use Shun`s normal account mainly. The money I was taking out today was from our Japanese savings account which is also in Shun`s name. I doubt I will be allowed in that bank again- security will probably stop me at the door! Shun`s parents think it is hilarious that i yelled at the bank lady and threw something at her- they think I should of asked for the manager. While what she said was out of line, i am pretty sure the banks policy was right in that i didn`t have the right inkan so she couldn`t give me the money anyway- still she shouldn`t of said that stuff.
I will mention the dizziness to the dr next time- It is not the first time I have gotten dizzy since getting pregnant (it used to happen in highschool too, but not recently) so I should ask about it. I might have low iron as well, but they took blood last time so I am sure they will tell me next time if my iron was low. If the checked it. I don`t know if they check for that here or not?
Will mail you about the apartment hunting to your phone in case you don`t get online!!!
Oh… Zoe… she is such a nice gal, tell her hello for me next time you see her! As for the twit at the bank, I would have skipped the ordeal and let dh deal with it because I would have been insulted if someone insinuated such nonsense. I can’t believe you threw the paper at though.. that is truly funny… but she embarrassed you, I hope shun phones up and makes a formal complaint, although I wonder if they would treat at women like this or just those that are “gaijin”? What are your thoughts on that?
Sending you good vibes.
Yeah, I gathered they wouldn’t have joint accounts that’s why I didn’t even ask about it. I didn’t want to use Naoki’s card either because I knew it would cause some sort of problem i.e. similiar to what you happened today. So instead, I have my bank account with savings in it, Naoki has his with savings in it and we both use the one credit card which gets paid off every month. It’s definitely the most easiest option…
Have a great weekend and will hopefully talk to you next week!
Hey Lulu
The whole bank thing totally sucks!! For such an advanced ‘electronic’ country the system is ancient! Good on you for throwing something hehe too bad it wasn’t a paperweight.
Sending my good apartment hunting vibes as well ::)
Definitely get your husband to call up and complain about it. I`ve never had that bad of an experience but when I 1) changed my maiden name to my married one and 2) when I closed that said account it tool both more than 2 hours to complete. The first one I had my Japanese supervisor with me and she was shocked how long it took them to do something that should have been so simple.
As for the atm, could you not have just tried the atm card and done the same transaction a couple of times? Ex, if you needed 20 man, 10 man first transaction, 10 man second transaction. I`m guessing that you were needing quite a bit more than that but I`ve seen people at the ATMs doing what seem like a million transactions, I`m sure it wouldn`t be unheard of.
I`ve only been to Kichijoji a couple of times (that huge Yuzawaya is over there). I`d love to meet up with you too next time you happen to be over in this area.
I heard your banking story on skype today and still can’t believe it!!
Just chalk another one up to some of the ridiculous crap that we deal with here… I seriously wonder if its the same for Japanese people but they just take the whole “sho ga nai” attitude while we get pissed off!!
Nice to hear you are meeting so many new people!! Tokyo seems to be the hub of the foreign wife world!! I wish I was closer… or at least richer (lol) so I could join you guys sometime!!
Good luck with your apartment searching this weekend!!! You have all my good vibes – both Nay and I had really great apartment luck so hopefully it will carry on to you as well.
The good thing about inaka – everybody at the bank knows you – and who you are married to. Still, being accused that you aren’t even marriend to Shun – well done for just throwing your paper at the silly woman!!
I thought you could ATM transactions up to 10 man but could do it a few times in a row too.
Can’t believe your hospital requires full down payment at just 20 weeks. I didn’t pay till the day I left hospital. Does your city not pay for the brunt of it?
Have a nice sleep in
Ah prolly!
Seriously though, I’d totally be up for that.
Oh~ Is that the place Tentomushi in Tokyo mentioned? It sounded so neat I really wanna go there! Oooooh take me, please please! I’ll give you a cookie I promise
Bleh I hate the no joint account bollocks, we do the same as Nay, have two accounts and then the credit card. Well done for having a go at them though, I usually just bitch about it afterwards.
I fainted about 5 times in my first trimester, 3 times on the train. I hate that feeling when your hearing goes queer! I asked the doc about it at the time and he said it’s becasue all the extra blood is pumping overtime from your head to your heart, I recommend sitting down straight away, you look like a weirdo but it helps and you’ll feel better really quickly. I also started taking a sweet drink or at least water with me everywhere I went. Take care of yourself!
p.s. I want doggy style pictures! hehe
Like Corinne, I get the fainting thing while pregnant too. It happened to me while teaching a couple of times this semester. I think it is pretty normal, I’ve heard the extra blood explanation too. Sitting down right away really does help, it seems much much worse if I’m standing (and it seems the subways in Japan aren’t very good about giving seats up to pregnant women!). Anyhow, I don’t think it is anything to be super concerned about, just another one of those lovely pregnancy things that happen to some people.
And ugh about the bank. Our bank account is actually in my name, but the ATMs here are stupid, they have a “limit” but you can just use the same ATM over and over and over again until you have the money you need. You’ll see some people at the ATM taking out money for like 10 minutes, lol. But I hear you on the stupid teller, I hate dealing with people like that, as they are usually unnecessarily rude. My pet hate is the post office. I once had to pick up a Western Union wire and they wouldn’t give it to me because the sender had not written my middle name on the the wire. Never mind that I had ALL the other information, tracking number, address, phone number, sender’s name, etc. correct and the sender was my dad so we had the same last name! I threw a right fit, I’ll tell you, but it did no good. I get so angry and just cannot contain my temper when things like that happen.
Hey Lulu,
Thanks for linking me! Looking forward to this wednesday and trying to come up with some fantastic ingredients that don’t include broccoli or cauliflower to go in the salads….you like lettuce right? How about capsicum? Red bell pepper?
can’t wait to rid my apartment of baby stufff!!! See you soon!
Sorry about the complications at the bank, especially the rude teller. Ha ha Doggy Style makes me giggle too. Sending good apartment finding vibes your way!
April Marie Claire- I think that their issue was that I didn`t have the stamp, which I could understand but I think she insinuated that I was firstly not married and then trying to steal his money because I was foreign. I probably had more issues because I was not Japanese….I tend to lose my temper easily, and that is definitely my “foreigness” coming out!!!
Nay- The credit card thing is a good idea- but what about things like train fares, buying little things etc. It is fine for me to use a card with Shun`s name on it (I use his credit card too and just sign his name!) and they issued it knowing it was for me- there issue the other day was the amount of money I was taking out! LOL- it was a large sum, so I CAN understand but that does not mean they had to be so rude. Gah, totally hate banks here! Shun and I have four bank accounts all together and two are in my name and two are in his name- one of those is my Australian account which has a chunk of savings in it as well. I have the cards to all of the accounts and Shun just has a card for one- plus his credit card. We could get extra cards issued but since he is fine with the system we haven`t.
Rachel in Sydney- Oh yeah- The banking system here is so odd- like even the lack of user friendly internet banking drives me a little insane, as in Australia it is so simple!!! I have to laugh here that on public holidays ATMs shut down- seriously, that is insane but something I have learned to live with after getting stuck one golden week without cash!!!
Melanie- Haha, oh changing my name was fun too on my Japanese account I have had since I was a student because I had no Japanese document with my maiden name on them only my old passport and my aussie drivers licence!!! That was also a mission and I had to wait until our Koseki was completed.
The daily limit was 500,000 and I needed more than that which is why I could not take out in seperate transactions- I did try though, to no avail!!
Kichijoji is awesome and I used to go to that Yuzuwaya a lot for yarn! Awesome place- what are your days off again? Next time I am heading that way on one of your days off we should go together!
Sara- Shun certainly takes the “shoganai” attitude in japan although he was truly pissed off when he found out the accused me of trying to steal his money and of not being his wife. I doubt he was pissed enough to make a formal complaint- in fact he thinks that they will not let me in the bank again because they might see me as “violent” hehehe
I had a lot of friends in the Tokyo area already but it is nice to meet so many new people recently too- I figure you can never have too many friends!!!
Thanks for the apartment hunting vibes- today we saw three places, one of which would be okay but not exactly in a good location but we will continue hunting tomorrow
Gaijinwife- I had a lovely sleep in, Sorry to hear that you didn`t although I figure once goma-chan arrives sleep ins will be a thing of the past for us too!!!
We only have to pay half by 20 weeks but have decided to pay it all since it is easier for us- we will get 350,000 or 380,000 back AFTER the baby is born from the city. Our hospital though does not accept the payment direct from the city like some hospitals do (I know Sara`s does!)
I had to laugh that everyone in the “inaka” knows everyone so they wouldnt care if you tried to take money from your hubs account- I think I am a little infamous now in the Moto-Yawata banks as well! LOL
Khea- That is the place! I have never been to the open air Thai place that both Tentoumoushi in Tokyo and Cassie spoke about but I have spent A LOT of time in the park- in fact the yochien where I used to work we used to take the kids to the same park 2 or 3 times a week- it is truly a beautiful part of Tokyo!
Corinne- The fainting thing thanfully has only happened once since getting pregnant (although I had several fainting spells when I was in highschool, once into the ocean which was scary and my sailing coach saved me and I had to go to the hospital) but I have been getting dizzy a lot. I always carry water with me and some kind of gummi candy just in case I feel I need a drink and/or sugar! I am hoping it stops happening soon though! It is definitely scary and I hate the hearing feeling you get because you know it is coming….
Will take some doggy style pictures next time!
Jessica- Oh the post offices here are not TOO bad- but if you are sending stuff overseas it can be difficult. Mainly the banks and the town halls cause issues! LOL. Oh and the apartment hunting places if you are foreign and unmarried- even when Shun and I were looking together we got a lot of “foreigners, no” responses. So rude!
I also have a temper when it comes to these kinds of things!!!
Cassie- Hahahaha, yes I like lettuce! I will eat anything, and just pick out what I don`t eat (lol, I know I am picky!) I will mail you before Wednesday though! Oh and yeah I eat Capsicum/bell peppers- I would eat a whole one! Love them!
Beamies- Thanks for the vibes! I hope they work! I giggle everytime I pass the “doggy style” shop!
I think the problem when I changed my name was that they didn`t know how to write it. It had been my first name and then last name in katakana, but they had a meeting (everyone gathering at the back of the bank) to figure out how to do it. Do they put it last name first first name second because the name is Japanese, do they put it in katakana or kanji. Ended up with last first middle all in bold romaji.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my days off, though I have a week off at the end of July and then the week of Obon off. Let me know if you are heading over this way!
Ah, so there is a limit to how much you can take out in one day, good thing to know. Never had to worry about it before
Melanie- Oh! Yeah They always write mine (before marriage) last name, first name, middle name in Katakana. Now, it is written the same way, with Katakana surname then first name, middle name.
On my drivers licence (Japanese version) My name is written in English exactley the same as my Gaijin Card- Last name, first name, middle name!
Okay, well we will try and make our trip to the park in Kichijoji on a Tues or Wednesday!!!
I am not sure all banks have the same daily limit from atms but Sumitomo Mitsui and UFJ Mitsubishi definitely have a 500,000 a day limit. If you go to the window though, you can get more if you have all the right stuff including the inkan attached to the account.
Outrageous Lulu. I know this probably sounds really unrealistic given it’s Japan we’re talking about, but is there anyone you can complain to about this?
Maybe you had to be there, but I wish you wouldn’t perpetuate the “angry foreigner” stereotype, yelling and throwing things. I’ve had problems with Japanese banks too, but nothing like that kind of personal attack.
I’m biting my tongue Lulu! “wink”!
Wow! That bank thing was incredibly rude, even by my very low American standards LOL, it’s off the charts for Japan! You should definitely have Shun complain!
I love Kichijoji too! We really enjoy the park, especially on the weekends, it’s an awesome place to “people watch”!
I’ve always heard fainting is a pretty common thing for lots of pregnant women, but I’m sure it’s scary, and it could be dangerous! Especially near a train! Hope it’s just an early pregnancy thing that will go away soon!