October 6th 2009
As I prepare to take my leave from Nepal there are a few things that one must do...Of these, figuring out how to deal with everything that I've accumulated during my time here takes precedence (at least for now). Today was the day I had set aside to ship these things, mail some letters and just generally figure out how to navigate the Kathmandu central Post Office (yes one would assume I would have done that long ago, but I've chosen to avoid it, I don't really like the Post Office).
It began this morning with me asking Gupta (the housedad) about how I might best secure my packages to which he replied, I will go get you a box. OK, harmless right...well it turns out that what he meant by that was I will go and build you a wooden box. He returned to the house with 4 sides of a box...it just needed a top and a bottom, which we were going to but in place along with everything inside. We were going to nail the box shut with my packed goods. I know your thinking, “He built a wooden box, why exactly would he do that and doesn't that cost more?” Well, he did it because he thought he was doing something nice (which to be honest he was, as silly as this sounds no one has ever built me a box, well a wooden one, so I greatly appreciated it. Once it was finished with all the goods inside, a debate was had about how it was to be shipped, do we go to the Post Office or to a shipping agent such as DHL. In the end we decided the regular post was probably the least expensive so we made our way into the city...of course the central post office in Kathmandu (I don't know if there are any others), is well in the center of the city and takes quite a while to get to, but Gupta graciously took me on his motorbike. I don't know how many of your have ridden a motorbike with a large box in your lap, but lets say its slightly awkward and I don't love being on a bike in Kathmandu to begin with so it was a slightly precarious trip...but no worries we arrived just fine.
When we first pulled up to the post office the gate was shut and so Gupta says “Lets try the other door.”...Um, alright since I have no idea how this post office works I figure he knows what he's talking about. And right he was, coming from a different side we found open gates. I began in the main hall where I mailed some letters without incident and was then instructed my package was to large for the regular mail and would have to go to the Parcel “department.” So outside the main hall and to the left we found it...and as we entered the first thing that struck me (besides the people pouring out of the office and the people sewing bags shut (more on that later)) was the couch in the middle of the room and I thought what in the world would be the use for a couch in the post office...well I would soon find out.
At this point Gupta decided that a wooden box was not very cost effective and so we began our search for a cardboard box...actually someone else did it for us. I think he was an employee of the post office, but to be honest I am not entirely sure. He found us the perfect sized box and my package was instantly nearly 2 kilos lighter. After filling out a yellow form written entirely in Nepali (the form, not my writing) which said absolutely nothing of importance, we were allowed to place everything inside the box and then our long wait began. As I said everything was in the box, but that wasn't the end of it...it had to be properly fitted (done by another employee) then it had to be sewn into a piece of muslin or cotton cloth. As we stood there and watched, a man proceeded to cut cloth for a number of boxes and packages and then sew the cloth 2/3rds of the way and then place (well shove) the boxes into them and then sew them shut. I've never in my life seen this kind of process and I've been to my fair share of post offices in the U.S. and abroad. There was basically an assembly line, someone cut, two other people would sew (for large heavy packages it was an interesting plastic type material) and then to top it off another man would seal it with a wax seal and stamp of approval. He would seal all the corners and along the seams. I had noticed him at the beginning but had no idea what a man sitting on a low chair with a flame burning would be doing in the post office and then he took out his wax and seal and I soon learned his job.
It was at this point after we had been standing there at least 45 minutes that I realized why the parcel department would need a couch. I did not take refuge on it but did watch as others sat patiently and waited for their parcels to be finished.
Now this is what really gets me...now they want to charge you...but you can't mail something if it isn't properly packaged and sealed and then they charge you for filling out the forms...but again you have to fill out the forms or else your not allowed to mail the package...they had a field day with me. I am fairly sure I got charged for things that I didn't need but I just didn't care at this point. Now just because I have been there nearly an hour and been patient, that doesn't mean my package is ready to be shipped. I have to go to another office and fill out more forms and pay more money (the actual shipping costs...which are outrageously expensive), have more hidden charges and then finally my package will hopefully be shipped to the U.S. As for when it is supposed to arrived...7-10 days but my guess is it will be longer than that. I wanted to have it ship by boat (usually cheaper) but the guy at the parcel office told me that takes 5 months to arrive, I don't know what boats they are using, because it usually takes 2-3 months, but 5....where are they going? Although I suppose its not as though Nepal has an ports so it has to get to one before it can even begin a shipbound journey.
I still don't love the post office, but I found it to be quite interesting and I think the post office can say a lot about how a country runs...and while it functions I would say it is pretty dysfunctional at the same time...similar to Nepal's government.
And no I do not have any photographs of the event, because I didn't realize I would need them to go along with this post.
I hope you have more successful post office trips than I do!
Love,
E.
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