USPS > Correos

Fulbright helps us out a lot with finances, yes, this is true. A travel stipend was even given to us, which included round trip airfare and "extra baggage fees". However, I did not want to use all of this money, because I knew I was going to go home for christmas, therefore needing TWO round trip tickets (but oops, I only have a one way back to Spain!)
So as a result, a closely followed airline restrictions concerning baggage dimensions and weights. Also, because I knew I'd be lugging my two suitcases containing my life from an airport, to a hostel, to a dorm, to a temporary apartment, to a real apartment. That's a lot of lugging I did not want to do with more luggage than hands available!

But because my parents are pretty awesome, they agreed to send me a box of more clothes when I got there and had a fixed address. Thanks mom and dad.

So my parents send my package around October 22nd, insure it for 200 USD, and it should arrive to me within 6 to 10 business days.

So, within 6 to 10 business days (after checking my mail religiously every day) I receive a notification: That my package is held in Madrid. And then they used all these big Spanish words. I vaguely am familiar with this, because the Addie received the same notification.

I march to my local Correos office, and the man tells me "they'll send it to you, just fill this out and fax it back" I ask if I need to pay... and he says nope. Just fill it out and mail it back.  I do not trust this man and his pushy answers.

So the next day, the fun starts. I bring it to school and all the profesores are investigating my mysterious vague letter. After an afternoon of phone calls, Maria Jose informs me that I need to declare what is in the box, bacause they think I will be selling my clothing or avoiding taxes.

Maria Jose assures them that no, I am a teacher here on a Fulbright scholarship, and that I am wearing my bathing suit every day because all of my clothes are in that box!

So I write my fancy spanish declaration, and wait a week. Still no sign. I check the tracking every day and still nothing.

So the friday after the writing of my package's declaration of independence, we call Inmaculada at la Aduana (customs) and she says oh sorry, we never got it, we're very busy here so I dont know how long it will take.
Then we get "well, maybe if Americans did not send over clothes here to sell without the labels, this wouldnt happen"
excuse me lady, but my clothes are from target and marshals, they are not worth enough to rip the tags off and sell them on the beach in November with the guys selling sunglasses and massages.

So after daily harassment phone calls to Inmacculada at Customs my package finally arrived.... ON THANKSGIVING!! I sure did have something extra to be thankful for that day:

 

PEANUT BUTTER!!!!

What else was in the box?

*2 jars of Peanut butter

*3 boxes of crystal light packets

*Burt's Bee's chap stick and Vaseline

*My old nose ring (the new one was too big!)

*3 dresses

*2 blazers (one new)

*2 new long sleeve shirts

*2 old long sleeve shirts

*A few tanks and tees (i requested them in September- will be put into use in the spring!)

*5 copies of the local newspaper I made the cover of (anyone in Spain want a copy?)

*Nips candies (which addie quickly claimed one box, oh and half a jar of PB)

*And maybe a few more items of clothing.

Here is a picture of addie and I utilizing my box of clothing and NOT selling it on the beach:

two of my dresses and a new blazer-thanks ma!

Also, a special thanks to Maria Jose for harassing Customs on a daily basis

To Esteban for also calling customs for my cause

to David, the father of the girls I tutor, for being willing to have the "customs guy" at his company try for me too.

To my parents for going through the trouble of sending it to me

And to my worry-wart mother who insured the box for a lot of money, making customs think I was going to sell the contents of the package for a tax-free profit!

Lesson learned:

when sending yourself clothing, do not insure it

or

either suck it up and take more clothing with you for an extra price and lug it around the iberian peninsula with you

or

avoid possible discrimination and send it to someone with a spanish name..  not someone named Chelsea Dixon