Postal systems have been at the forefront of my mind recently, and not in a good way, as you will have seen from my previous post.
But receiving mail is delightful. Unless it's bills or other unwanted items, of course.
What I'm talking about is getting personal mail: surprise letters, magazines, small gifts of chocolate and tea (thank you Mum!), "Welcome to your New Home" cards and goodies ordered over the internet. These are all very exciting things for an isolated expat to receive.
Rather sadly, the internet has stopped most of this excitement. People use email, catch up on Facebook or Twitter and even send e-cards rather than proper ones. Yes, I'm guilty of all this too, mostly because I can, and partly because I am forgetful of people's birthdays. Besides, it's all much more immediate, isn't it?
Not all my friends and family are on the internet though. Some don't even have a computer, so I keep in touch with them by phone. Being in nearly the same timezone will take some getting used to in this respect. Now I can call them without inadvertently waking them at scary o'clock in the morning. In theory, anyway. I've been used to being able to phone people at 1am "my" time from Tokyo - but that would now be midnight in the UK... not a good move and I've had to catch myself a couple of times so far.
However, nothing beats the thrill of opening the mailbox to find handwritten, personally addressed cards or letters. I was amazed when we first moved in here that there were five cards already waiting for us. One of the senders even has a computer and we regularly chat online, so this made receiving her card even more special for me. That's been it though.
It makes me a little sad, which is peculiar because I'd got used to not receiving post while I was in Japan. People were under the impression it cost too much to send a card there, so didn't bother trying. Plus, social networking took off during my time there, so I suppose that had a lot to do with it as well. I could go on a longer "poor me" rant, but won't indulge myself or bore you. And don't even get me started on the demise of the "Thank You" note! The lack of them makes me question whether it's worth bothering to send a gift in the first place.
However, if you would like to send me a card or letter, please do!
This week I will mostly be waiting in for parcels to be delivered.
There is no option to ask the postie to "leave parcel with neighbours" or "put in alleyway" as our front gate is permanently locked. Our mail box is an ugly, thin metal box soldered through the railings. Its paint is peeling and at most, it will hold a small handful of letters or one free German newspaper.
As I'm expecting various parcel deliveries this week I figure it's easier to wait around for them.
The delivery person buzzes and there's a button in the house which opens the gate. The intercom doesn't work so the only way I can check who's calling is to crane over the sink in the kitchen. Or just go out, key in hand to open it myself. I haven't yet worked out the protocol for this.
One delivery arrived today (petfood). I didn't have time to look out the window so went out clutching my keys. The delivery man was pushing at the gate so I pretended the automatic opening thing didn't work.
Next time I shall press the buzzer and take delivery at the door. It will save me having to lug a very heavy box up the steps. And hopefully I won't be opening the front door to some crazed axe-murderer instead.
I don't normally think like this, by the way. It just all the security just to get into our house that's causing slightly paranoiac thoughts!