Packages

Thursday I had a very interesting trip to the post office. I had gotten a note that I had received a package. It was too big to come to the school, so that meant I had to go to the big post office downtown. Serdar took me right after school. It was quite the journey to get there. We took two different dolmus (buses). Once there we had to give the slip to first counter where they looked for the package. Then we had to go to a second counter to get a form filled out. She took us back to the first counter where they cut open the packages to make sure there was nothing illegal inside. Then we went to another office where I have to give my passport again to prove I was me. Then to a fourth office where we paid for the package (25 YLT - $20). There are customs fees. Turkish government trying to make some money! Then we went back to the first counter where I had to pay another 1.25 YTL (90 cents) to actually get the package. Crazy! I did get two packages out of the deal with lots of wonderfully goodies! But it was an adventure I okay not having to repeat in the future! :)

So advice for sending packages:
1. I love them, so keep sending treats! :)
2. If it is larger than 6"x9" or weighs more than 4lbs, address it differently. Put my name in the return address and just put the school name for the to address. (Normally you put Oasis International School then Attn: Crystal DeLong). One of the packages wasn't that big, but it weighed a lot so that's why it went to the post office. If it doesn't have my name in the address then I don't have to go to the post office, anyone from our school can go. Just make sure my name is in the return address so they know whose box to put it in.
3. To avoid paying customs for larger packages, it's much cheaper in the long run to send FedEx. And they deliver straight to the school.
4. It's a learning experience. I'm figuring it out as I go along!