Lick it and Stick it

Every now and then, you meet a really good friend. Someone you connect with. If you are lucky, you may get to have this person as a suitemate for four months of boarding school. Very rarely, this person shares your love of snail mail and will faithfully write you letters all summer long. But how often do you meet someone who will, in your first month out of the country, send you a package with David Sedaris´ latest book- braving the customs shenanigans of international mail? People, I give you Cecilia Hinsley: Thanks Ceci! :)

Now, before all of you who aren´t....um.....Ceci, lose interest, this post DOES have two purposes. You see, I feel that Ceci´s package is an excellent opportunity to discuss MAIL. First I need to get you caught with my relationship with mail.

I LOVE letters. I have since I was a very little girl. Honestly, who doesnt? I always had one of those "Send-a-dollar-and-your-address" pen-pal programs going, and I was part of "Mailbox Club", which is like AWANA from a distance. About 3 years ago, I became a sponsor through Compassion Inernational, and right now I am writing to six children who live in developing countries. After leaving my home in the Northwoods, I started writing to my friends; our relationships were joltingly made long distance. I mailed a letter almost every day this summer. Yes, I go through stamps like a crazy person. But I´ve learned that in order to get letters, you must send letters. Some people draw or crochet napkins. I write.

Ok, now we´re caught up.

There is a mailbox here in Mexican house. I´m told that someone puts mail in it. I have never seen this person, as mail here does not come on a schedule. Rather, when "enough mail" has been collected by the fraccionamiento, there is supposedly a person who delivers said mail. I have no idea what constitues "enough". I am one day short of five weeks here. The mail has come twice.

I´m going to say that again, in case you missed it. The MAIL has come twice. Not "I have recieved mail twice". This myserious postal phantom has granted us two visits. I check the mailbox every day after school. Because those days when it DID come were awesome, but a lot of time, ít´s just dissapointing. From what I can tell, there´s no real rhyme or reason to what does and does not arrive. For example, the first letter my Grandma sent me seems to be lost forever, but Ceci was able to ship me a brand new hardcover book. Sometimes, I have a pretty chill "accidents happen" attitude. But on my more conspiracy-prone days, I am SURE my letters will show up in a government sponsored "Cartas en Ingles" book. But what can I do?

When I got Ceci´s package, it wasn´t delivered to the box, this was:

I then took this to the post office and received this:

I felt like this:

Ok. Enough of that....Mailing Letters:
When I want to actually SEND something, I have to go to the post office. The nearest one is a little over 20 minutes away, but my host family is gracious and drives me on Saturday mornings. At the post office, I talk with an official who always seems to be annoyed at me: "TWO letters....two INTERNATIONAL letters.....Two international letters with SECURITY?" But I really don´t care. The price of these two international letters with security varies drastically from week to week. One time, it was 54 pesos and I spent about 5 minutes glueing stamps to the back of the envelope. One time it was 25 pesos and scanned into the computer. One time, I paid, but didn´t see ANYTHING put onto my envelope. And I have said exactly the same thing every time. I guess it fluctuates based on the mood of the official. Anyway, I always receive one of these:

If you´ll notice, there are four different styles represented there. Only the purple one has arrived. Hmmmmm.

So, next time you are sitting with your friends discussing the economic crisis, or health problems, or education problems, or whatever issue seems to be the BIG one that day, make sure to keep a frame of mind. The U.S. might have a lot of problems right now, but there is at least one thing it has going for it. Because when you stick that little picture of a liberty bell in the corner of your envelope, you can be sure it will arrive. And that is something to be grateful for.