Monday, January 20, 2014

Kindergarten, or "it's not that easy"

Last week S got an official email notice that we were approved places for our two older children in the state preschool system (detskii sad).

This is the wrap up to a very long saga.

First the girls waited "at home" in the hotel until we found an apartment (since you can hardly register for school if you don't know where you are living).

Month #1 of "summer vacation."

Then when we got an address, S worked with an office at her university which is assigned to help in social (i.e. non work related) questions.  They took a couple of weeks to find out whom to call or contact (nothing is easy here).  They called around but kept getting answers either "wrong office" or "no places."  Finally they drafted a letter which was signed and sent by the office of the university Rector (like university president, very top admin person) to the very top of the Moscow Department of Education requesting permission for children of their employees on the visa "Highly Qualified Specialist" to attend government owned preschool.  Directions from our office -- wait.   30 days for official answer.

(Unlike in the US, you don't apply directly to a school, but to the department of education in your city or city section for permission to attend the school or preschool near you.  Like we said, nothing is that easy here.)

Month #2 of "summer vacation."

After 30 days, the official answer still wasn't received (it got delayed in the Russian postal system), so someone from the university called someone from the department of education and got an electronic copy of a scan of a paper letter with the "official" answer.

In two full pages, the answer boiled down to "we are happy to serve families who are citizens of Russia and permanent residents of Moscow."  In other words, the preschool system, as of September 2013, was officially not accepting any more foreigners or the recently moved to Moscow.

So S hollered, and several people at work agreed that since we were invited to work in Moscow, our children can't be simply excluded.  Finally some administrator said a certain other administrator (vice rector somebody) had close connections with somebody in the central office of the department of education, and that the vice rector somebody would make a call.

After the holidays, which in Russia is Jan 1-8.

Month #3 of "summer vacation."

So we heard tentatively by Dec 30 that it would be a "go" at some point in January.  Everyone gets back from the official holidays and doesn't do much for a few days (slow ramping up).  But then we heard unofficially that yes, it is confirmed they will get a place.  But where?

So finally 13 January we got two emails (one for each child) telling them where they would be assigned. Other things got in the way, but a coordinator at S's workplace was able to call the preschool to which we were assigned and made an appointment to go visit the preschool.  (More later).

At the visit, the director explained the forms we need to bring.  The girls have to have complete physicals (more later) and official letters saying they are healthy enough to attend preschool.  This of course takes several days (more later).

Month #4 of "summer vacation."

But we are looking at the light at the end of the tunnel.  They have a place, imperfect as it may be, and they probably can be starting next week some time.  

The end to the long duree…..

1 comment:

  1. These posts are fun and interesting to read! I still can't believe you guys live in Moscow!

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