17-Marzo-2006

So ever since I decided that I had to send Adam a package because he’s been so great about sending me packages, I’ve dreaded going to the post office. Until today all I had heard was horror stories but now I feel that I fully understand.

The post office in Italy is used for more than just sending mail. In fact, there are so many different windows that I don’t even know what they were all for. When you come in you are apparently supposed to be able to figure out what you’re there for and grab one of six number wheels to determine your place. I choose to go to the post office close by my house thinking that it would be smaller and I’d have less of a chance to make myself look stupid… well..

A man helped me figure out which number to grab and my number came up quickly. I headed to the front thinking of the questions that they ask when we send things abroad in the US. I knew I was in trouble. In addition to these concerns, I didn’t have any of the heavy tape to seal my box. So I had an open box. In Italy, apparently, you’re supposed to cover all boxes, unless specific post office boxes with a brown paper. I think I got a few words in my direction about my lack of knowledge about the system, but oh well. The man that was working with me seemed nice and tried to ask me a question that I didn’t understand. He started motioning toward the box and showed an upward motion and I still didn’t know, but I said “no.”

Then he explained to me that it was going to be expensive to send, probably 30 euro (which with my knowledge of the conversation rate is about 100 dollars… ok, not really). I said that would be fine and then he found me some tape and handed me some forms. Next problem.. still can’t read. I could figure out where I was supposed to enter the origination and destination information but then when I got to the checking boxes part, I was confused. I filled in what I thought was the contents section and hoped that me writing the contents in English wouldn’t be too huge of a deal.

He weighed the package and the total came to 21.38 euro.. not too shabby I thought. Then he stamped about a thousand copies of the same paper and we were off and running.