Le 7 janvier I decided this year after Christmas to be punctual about thank-you cards. I wrote a few letters the day or two after Christmas and by the 29th I was at the post office. (Pat on the back.) I strolled up to the window, greeted my friends, and handed Claude my letters.
“These are all going to the United States?”
“Mhmm, all of them.”
“We can’t send anything to the United States right now.”
“WHATT?”
“I dunno, something about terrorism.”
Great, very helpful. He then pointed to an email that was posted by the window, noting that there was is an embargo currently in place to/from the United States (at least from places like Rwanda). There was no reason stated, and it would be in place “until further notice.”
“Try again in January.”
Bah. So much for being timely.
I went back to the post today (having waited for January), and was shocked to see that the embargo was still in place. Now mind you, I searched on the internet and had found no information as to what exactly is causing this embargo. I’m completely baffled.
“Sorry, try again in February.”
By the time February rolls around, my parents will be soon coming. If I were even to mail something out on February 1st,then wait four weeks for the mail to go through, it’d be about the beginning of March when the letters arrive in the US. If I just wait to send them with my parents when they fly out the 24th, arrive home the 25th, the letters could be in the hands of the recipients by the 27th at the latest. Quicker than the Rwandan Postal Service. Crazy, I know.
And to think I was starting to get familiar and comfortable with the Rwandan Post service, depending highly on it because I’ve got such limited and slow access to the internet and am not much in the habit of using my phone. (These pre-paid phones are just annoying – it’s not too expensive, really, but having to go out to buy airtime when you’re getting low is something I’m learning to grin and bear.) I’ve now got no SNAIL MAIL. Where am I, in Africa?
“These are all going to the United States?”
“Mhmm, all of them.”
“We can’t send anything to the United States right now.”
“WHATT?”
“I dunno, something about terrorism.”
Great, very helpful. He then pointed to an email that was posted by the window, noting that there was is an embargo currently in place to/from the United States (at least from places like Rwanda). There was no reason stated, and it would be in place “until further notice.”
“Try again in January.”
Bah. So much for being timely.
I went back to the post today (having waited for January), and was shocked to see that the embargo was still in place. Now mind you, I searched on the internet and had found no information as to what exactly is causing this embargo. I’m completely baffled.
“Sorry, try again in February.”
By the time February rolls around, my parents will be soon coming. If I were even to mail something out on February 1st,then wait four weeks for the mail to go through, it’d be about the beginning of March when the letters arrive in the US. If I just wait to send them with my parents when they fly out the 24th, arrive home the 25th, the letters could be in the hands of the recipients by the 27th at the latest. Quicker than the Rwandan Postal Service. Crazy, I know.
And to think I was starting to get familiar and comfortable with the Rwandan Post service, depending highly on it because I’ve got such limited and slow access to the internet and am not much in the habit of using my phone. (These pre-paid phones are just annoying – it’s not too expensive, really, but having to go out to buy airtime when you’re getting low is something I’m learning to grin and bear.) I’ve now got no SNAIL MAIL. Where am I, in Africa?
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