Guest Post

Hello Family and Friends of Cassidy!

This is Lindsey, "guest-posting" for Cassidy, because I had something to share but do not have a blog of my own.

I'd like to give you a view of what Argentina's postal system is like. Based off of my experience, here are the steps you need to know in order to pick up a package from the Correo Argentino.

1. Receive a slip at your house telling you there is a package waiting for you at the post office.

2. Do a happy dance because you have a package!

3. Go to the post office during normal business hours: 9 am - 1 pm and 5 pm - 8 pm.

4. Go to a window, give them your slip, receive a replacement slip to take to the International window. Because you chose to come post-siesta (national nap time), and the international window is only open in the morning, come back another day when you don't have class.

5. Arrive at 10:45 in the morning with your slip for the international window. The nice man will then point out that you need your passport, as it "clearly" states in the fine print on the back of the slip.

6. Go home and get passport.

7. Come back to international window, proudly with passport and slip in hand.

8. Take a slip to another window where you pay 11 pesos (no one knows why) and receive a ticket.

9. Take ticket back to first window, where papers are stamped and signed.

10. Receive a slip and a sit outside the Customs Office waiting to be called.

11. Get called into Customs Office. Give them your passport and they'll give you an exacto-knife to cut open your package in front of them.

12. Because said package is from a little sister of a friend, open all the pink gift wrap to reveal to the customs officer that you are not, in fact, smuggling drugs or apple products.

13. Explain to customs officer that the package is from a 12 year old girl, therefore explaining the odd assortment of small plastic toys and pink sharpies.

14. Have the customs officer estimate the cost of the items in order to know how much to charge you in taxes.

15. Talk her down from 20 dollars to 16 dollars so that she'll charge you 40 pesos instead of 50.

16. Pay your fine and awkwardly box up pink packing peanuts, pink tissue paper, pink bubble wrap, and assortment of gifts.

17. Go home and do a happy dance because you have your package!

Despite the craziness, I have my package and it's an awesome package. Just one more day to chalk up to Argentina being Argentina.

The spoils from my package. My favorite is the two rolls of patterned duct tape. Can't wait to cover everything I own in fun duct tape.