March 5, 2009
And I strike again…
There was a time I was known for my attitude. Actually, I kinda still am. My friends tell me I can be really intimidating to others and that I give the impression that I’m capable of biting people’s heads off or something. I know I keep saying I am so peaceful and all, I still think I am, but I like to know that I can give such impression when I have to; it’s my only defense strategy since I can’t really return harm.
From time to time, some people just push that button and unleash the crazy me who has fiery attitude, like that girl from Vodafone. Today I took another swing…
Me: Aloo, MSE School???
Her: Aiwa ya fandem
Me: kont etkalemt abl keda 3ashan as2al 3al admissions for KG1 wa2abel 7ad, but you said I should call today to arrange for that…
Her *with quite a bored tone*: yoom 15 7adretek
Me *trying to catch her before she hangs up*: sanya wa7da law sama7ty, I called in February you told me etkalemy awel March, I called earlier this week, olteely attesel ennaharda, and here I am! What’s wrong?!
Her *again with the bored tone in addition to a little attitude*: ya fandem e7na lessa mabada2nash admissions lelly malhomsh ekhwat hena…
Me *kinda interrupting*: yess, I am aware of that, but you keep pushing it further and further, it’s conflicting with my own agenda! We Kaman, I have a friend of mine who already had an interview for his son who was accepted here at your school earlier in February!
Her: akeed leeh akh kebeer
Me: NOO, and that’s exactly why I’m a bit upset here, my friend’s son has no brothers in your school and he’s my son’s age, so fe eh mokhtalef?
Her: yemken madrasa Tanya?
Me: (Seriously, how ridiculous is that!)nope, he practically showed me your premises!
Her: ma3rafsh ba2a, yemken feh exception…
Me: no, he did not say that was any wasta fel mawdoo3, he just showed up and was told the applications were not ready but then you worked things out when he insisted that he doesn’t have much free time to come back again…
Her *very impatiently*: ana fe3lan ma3andeesh fekra, fa I think 7adretek etkalemy yoom 15 we 7adedy ma3ad…
She hung up…
For a few seconds I was baffled, and then I decided to attack, so I redialed…
Me: Alo, enty lessa AFLA MA3AYA… listen, I need to interview whoever in charge because I have a deadline before of which I should decide on the school… so I can fill the application later, but I need to meet with someone in charge who will explain to me how you people work and show me around in the school and give me all the information I need about both the English and French sections so that I can decide hadakhal ebny 3andoko wala la2…. If you cannot help me with that, I most likely will not be interested to have my son at your school but I will also make sure that the principal or whoever in charge knows that his administration SUCKS, so will you help me or do I have to make more calls or even show up!
Her *with a completely changed tone*: oh, 7adretek leh ma2olteesh keda men el awel, khalas momken teegy te2ably Ms. S, we heya hate3mellek tour fel madrasa we teshra7lek el nezam…
Me: (now you’re talking) tayeb, shokran, 3ayza ba2a a7added ma3ad la2en I came earlier this week and I was told to call today…
Her: fe ay wa2t men 8:30 le 1:00…
Me: ya3ne agy delwa2ty?
Her: yoom el 7ad…
Me: ok, merci…
I hung up…
This school has lost a huge chunk of points, but I will still go because it had an impressive school portfolio given my criteria of concern. Nonetheless, I can’t promise I will be on my best behavior when I go. Intimidating me is soooo in…
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8 comments:
Honestly, I can't believe these schools.
I mean, you're going to pay them at the end of the day, and still they act snobbish.
It reminds me of a friend of mine who was asked to show up to his son's school to sign a note that he is responsible for studying to the boy.
What bothered me is that he was really worried, I mean, come on, you're the customer, you're paying, it's not like they're doing you a favour or anything, then, they make you sign a note that you have 2 spend 2 hours each night to study for your 6 year old kid?!!!!
How disturbed is reversing roles in this?!!!!!!
i know!
if anyone gets how any establishment should be picky about who it serves, it's me... but it can be done nicely and with manners, nothing's wrong with that....
i would never say "befloosy", but it should be taken into consideration from their end and they shouldn't make me think it aslan.... i will be leaving a part of me with them, which is huge for me, and i need to know if they can keep him safe and happy as well as teach him.... i am the one making a big decision here, not them!!
as for your friend's story... u see, my parents barely ever spent time with us to study, and i think they did me a favor that way, i know how to do things on my own and i am anything but dependent when it comes to that!
i think a parent should spend an hour or two per day with their kid, not necessarily studying, just generally be there and talk to them.... but i don't think anyone has the right to ask the parent to do that, it should come from the parent!!
Am seeing a lot of friends kind of suffering these days with schools and school choices. There are a lot of them, and honestly, I'd be curious about your preferences in a school. Excuse my curiosity here, but if you think its too personal, you really don't have to reply.
Thanks,
Ayzi.
p.s. I have been following this blog for over a year and a half now (from around November 2007). Let me tell you that you have indeed come a long way :)
This is a common major flow in big bodies. So really next time you suffer things like these, do not do anything, just hang up and try to escalate it to the manager and usually things work better than you might think.
Thanks God bodies like Vodafone have their calls recorded.
Ayzi,
i remember your alias once commenting on one post or the other, and your last remark is really flattering :)
my criteria are very simple and rather short term.... so bear in mind that they might change in a few years when my son is older... here it goes for now:
- safe (both in terms of place and people)
- spacious
- well equipped facility
- friendly atmosphere
- friendly and professional staff (in terms of communication with kids mostly; i don't want people who might emotionally abuse my kid or not notice him being bullied or something!)
- fun and activities but without disregarding a fair amount of discipline
you see, KG1 & KG2 are barely about any education... i think at that stage, kids either love or hate what's to come... i've seen that my kid learned a lot in his current nursery just because he loves his teacher and he enjoys the things they do and i am aware that the next years should be an extension to that.... but it has to be a good school academically as well because i don't wanna move him from one school to another and hinder his bonding with friends; however, even if he transfers later for whatever reason, it would be easier when he's from an academically accredited place...
it might sound shallow to a lot of people, i k now it does sound like that to my x and he thinks i'm spoiling the kid that way and bringing him up to be a sissy... but i think u only get to be child once in a life time and i think you cannot grow up if your childhood is taken from you, that's one of the things that happened to the x and i don't want it to happen to either of my boys...
after all, what's for a kid to learn during those two years... he already knows the alphabet and the numbers in french and some arabic and some english... he'll work on that plus some adding and subtracting and perhaps some spelling, big deal! but for him to love it or hate is much more important and it prepares him for what's next....
look at me babbling :)
Mohamed,
it's a common flaw everywhere... people in big bodies think that they need to act in a certain way in order to serve a certain profile! in the process, they lose grace and professionalism...
places with taped customer service calls suck twice as much ironically; they simply teach and train their staff to tell you s***w you in the most decent of ways so you can't use it against them... i paid an uncalled visa credit that way and my very own decency and integrity was used against me.... so general rule, most establishments suck because they really have no idea about their clients and their needs, welcome to Egypt :)
Hey Insomniac how r u?
It's been so long ha? I was so haappy to find u talking about searching for a school for your kid, I'm in that process too, I'm currently in the process of finaly moving to my new place in maadi, so I'm looking for a school either in maadi or in tagamo3 7'ames, so how is the hunt so far? I'd realy appreciate it if u could give me some feedback about the schools u've been to, I've already checked narmer american college, which was more than perfect, yet it's a bit above my budget this year, so let me know how things are going on for u, ok.
p.s: I realy love the way u handled that girl on the phone :)
heyyyy Wawa,
how are you girl :))
yes, our boys are within the same age categories...
if he turns 4 before october, then you must hurry doing the research...
i can completely share all the info i have and we already share the location...
so just email me on myoblivia@gmail.com and we can discuss further details even on chat if you like
and kiss ur little one for me :)
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