A few weeks ago my mom sent us some books through the good old U.S. mail.
The books are now in Peru, but I doubt we’re ever going to see them.
Don’t blame the USPS. They arrived safe and sound they are currently stuck in libro limbo.
About a week ago we got a letter from the Peruvian postal service saying the package could not be delivered to the house. Instead it had to be picked up at the main post office. The post office in a suburb that’s not totally far away, but not close either. So, Vanessa and Mita made the journey one afternoon while I was at the English Factory.
At the post office, she found out he package wasn’t coming home with her. Turns out my mom labeled the package with our last names, like you address Christmas cards, (Think “The Andersons”) instead of using one of our names. Because of this the clerk refused to give V the box, instead she came home with a pile of forms we have to fill out, get notarized, send back to my parents, wait for approval then (hopefully) we can get the package.
I’ll save you the boring details, but if we follow through with all the paperwork it will take about a month and about $40 in miscellaneous fees.
Sorry Mom, we won’t be picking up the package. It’s not worth it, for the price, time and effort we can buy new books when we get home. It’s not your fault, chalk one up to Peruvian bureaucracy.
The lesson for the rest of you: send international packages with complete names, preferably as they appear on the receiver’s ID card. If you don’t, who knows what kind problems you might face.
Random Notes:
- Sorry the blog continues to be neglected. I had a few extra days off from the English factory and my Aunt was here for a visit. There hasn’t been much computer time lately. In a related story, she left last night for Baltimore and is now stuck in Atlanta until Tuesday. Thankfully she knew about this before take-off and cashed in her hotel bonus points for two nights at the airport Holliday Inn. It beats spending two days in the airport. That’s just another example of how powerful the Internet is and how quickly we’ve adapted to it. None of the above scenario would have been possible 10-15 years ago.
- Speaking of the English Factory. Two of my classes were reassigned, so I’m working less this month. Which I don’t mind.
- This week we have our big appointment at the Embassy. We should get our Visa and find ourselves back in the U.S. sometime this year. I’ll keep you posted.




