The school year in Swaziland runs January-December. So the
2012 school year started in January. At the first teachers meeting, the teacher
leading it had us take turns sharing one word that sums up what we would like
most for 2012. My word was “stability.”
Hmm, I’m not so sure I got that, but hopefully I did learn a
life lesson this year. I say hopefully because maybe I’m wrong and I still
haven’t learned, in which case Life is preparing another go-round of this
lesson for me right now. Joy.
So what I think I learned this year is another word that
starts with “s” and that is surrender. For those of you who looked at my post
about registering the caravan (Oh Snap!), this one has to do with that. Yeah,
it still ain’t over! After I got the caravan registered here, which entailed
paying VAT (like sales tax) for it in Swaziland, I had to get a VAT refund from
South Africa. Since VAT is 14% in SA and SD (Swaziland) we’re talking about a
refund of over $1,000. That’s a whole plane ticket home. Needless to say, I
needed that refund.
I submitted all the paperwork for the refund in early May
and then waited, and waited, and waited some more. Finally in early Oct the SA
VAT refund office called me telling me to pick up my check. Yay! Happy days.
Ha! Not so fast. I picked up the check and it was for 25% of
the total they owed me. What?! This must be some kind of mistake. Someone in SA
must’ve made an error somehow. So I pursued it. They proceeded to thwart me at
every turn and claim that there was no mistake and that’s what I was owed. I
went to an accountant. He said it was indeed wrong as far as he knew. He
referred me to a fellow accountant who works for a major car company, so they’re
constantly dealing with imports and VAT refunds. He too said somebody was
taking chances and that they need to refund the full amount.
Well, $40 worth of phone calls to SA, trips to the border,
the SD Revenue Authority and the VAT refund office, tears, and a few sleepless
nights later, I still have gotten
NOWHERE …except further into a financial hole. And the whole affair has
been topped off by not being able to deposit the check I do have. See the
things is it expired on Xmas day. Merry Xmas! A few days before it expired I
took it to the bank where I have a savings account and they told me that I can’t
deposit checks into the savings account. I have to open a checking account, and
of course the checking acct incurs fees, lots of them. So totally exasperated and
at my wits end, it took all my self control not to rip up the check and toss it
on the floor.
Did you hear the one about my stuff being held up for
extortionate customs duty then the stuff got stolen from my luggage? Ha, ha!
That’s a good one (alluded to in Losing Streak). And that’s the memory that
came snapping back into sharp focus and made me realize that all of this
nonsense is not worth it. What I need more than the money is peace. I need
peace. And in order to find peace, I must surrender.
Ignorance is bliss. Forgetfulness is the next best thing.
