And the saga of the
withheld package continues…
It’s been just about four weeks since my package arrived
from India and it is still stuck at Entebbe Airport at customs. I’m not exactly
sure what the folks at customs thinks is in the package but I can assure you,
there is nothing in there that is harmful or detrimental to anyone’s life
(unless you count sweets, which I suppose can be deemed harmful to one’s health
and subsequently one’s life). After getting intermittent updates from the Peace
Corps office (who apparently had to get the U.S. Embassy involved…big day) my
package should be released within 24 hours (that basically means the company
has to get it from Entebbe Airport but not before I pay 130,000 USH which is
equivalent to $52). The Peace Corps office will theoretically get it and hold
it for me until either my supervisor can get it next time he is in Kampala
(which should be this weekend or next week) or the Peace Corps office can bring
it to me when they are in the area. Hopefully my supervisor will pull through.
The ridiculousness of this whole fiasco has definitely made me never want to
use CHIPS or WWL ever again.
*Readers, please take note, if you are sending a package
from India, NEVER use CHIPS or WWL for international shipping*
I finally got confirmation that my package was at Peace
Corps. My supervisor was amazing and picked it up! However (yes, there is
always a “however” in these kinds of circumstances), my supervisor has yet to
show up at my site…at least I know he has the package.
A few days after he was supposed to arrive, my supervisor
finally brought the package. Let me tell you, the package was worth the wait. I
don’t even know how to explain to you the glory within the box. There was layer
upon layer of clothing, food, sweets, shoes, and pretty much anything else one
could wish for from India or pretty much anywhere else in the world (okay,
maybe not anywhere else in the world,
but I would have to say I got a pretty good taste of international cuisine in
that box). I have to say, I must have the best family in the world for thinking
to send me such an amazing care package in spite of everything else going on in
their lives. I know there were far more important things my family could have
done than worry about sending me a parcel but no, they thought of me. I am
truly blessed to have such an amazing family and I can’t say that I feel
deserving of their love.
Now, please enjoy some photographs depicting my unpacking of
the epic box (which took almost 3 hours).
Welcome Home!
You probably can't tell, but the address is my box in Kyotera...NOT Entebbe Airport.
Packing foam!
Layer 1: Clothes!
Food stuff (cake mixes, brownie mixes, teas, spices, etc...)
So many Indian snacks to enjoy!
More clothes and shoes!
So many clothes!
After the long process of unpacking, I took a rest...IN THE BOX!
I want to thank
everyone at Peace Corps for their help with this whole situation, especially
Cotious and James. Without your help, I may never have gotten my package and
surely would have had to pay the original asking price. So, thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment