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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: new "rules" at the post office ...new to me
I just sent 6 pages of paper to Canada for 255rmb.
took me an hour
the new rules, so I was told, state that everything must be in Chinese, so they can input into their computer.
I used to just write "Canada" ( 加拿大) in Chinese so they could get it to a place that can read the address. NO, NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!
and you need your passport to send mail.... pretty sure this is new too. Good thing I had the wife with me and she had her ID
I never would have got this mail sent if I did not have the wife with me. I have done it many times before, all by myself.
Hope this is not a trend or it was just the local girl/office, (was more than one involved, as you might expect) the whole damned office was involved. I live in a small town.
the girls did smile when I told the boss to "shut up" in my Chinese, and pointed my pistol finger at him ... I said "laoban an jing" my wife understood me and I think the clerks did too .. would this be better? Gàosù lǎobǎn bì zuǐ?
Post offices are like banks. You can be told something different every time depending on where you go, who you talk to, whether or not the person there actually knows how to do the job and probably how much cold water you drank that morning.
I would try to deal with the same person each time, whoever was able to do it without drama when you did it before. If that doesn't work try another branch.
BHGAL:
I agree, it is a good idea to get a regular acquaintance at the bank... or anywhere for that matter, but often so infrequent, like post office, it is difficult. I have a good thing going at the bank, they all know me.... only white guy in town.
even food markets and beer stores and hair cuttting, and and and ... good to get a relationship.
Post offices are like banks. You can be told something different every time depending on where you go, who you talk to, whether or not the person there actually knows how to do the job and probably how much cold water you drank that morning.
I would try to deal with the same person each time, whoever was able to do it without drama when you did it before. If that doesn't work try another branch.
BHGAL:
I agree, it is a good idea to get a regular acquaintance at the bank... or anywhere for that matter, but often so infrequent, like post office, it is difficult. I have a good thing going at the bank, they all know me.... only white guy in town.
even food markets and beer stores and hair cuttting, and and and ... good to get a relationship.
Great, another hassle to go through. Really, thanks for the update, good to know.
This is not new. It has been like this since at least 2011.
Also, it makes more sense to send things bi-lingual, if you think about it.
Source: my experiences shipping things home from Beijing in 2011.
BHGAL:
bullshit , all they gotta know is that it is to go to Canada or USA, or UK, or wherever....
the ID thing I did think about.... maybe anthrax or something, ... but what criminal doing that kind of thing is going to use his real stuff? maybe there are some.... not me.
and it has not been normal since 2011 .... certainly not where I am
besides ... double the paper use...ludicrous ... ignorant .... and my favorite tree may fall victimStiggs:
I was trying to send a package to a western country once, so had the English address with the destination country written in Chinese at the bottom. The post office people were adamant the English address was wrong,like they would know my parents address.They just couldn't seem to understand the rest of the world doesn't use Chinese and that there wasn't a Chinese name for the town and street they lived in.
BHGAL:
should see the comments when I send my google translated address to family back home.... need a full page they say
Generally, I always bring a trolley with personal documentation such as passport, wifes ID, marriage papers, translations and notarizations of all, if I go to the post office. As far as I can tell it is, like banks, a completely new experience each time.... either that or I need to get checked for Alzheimer.
Scandinavian:
"yes Scandi needs to get checked" or "yes, post office is as unpredicable as a Chinese driver"