Shipping Nightmare

We were told not to go to the Post Office without an escort and since nobody is around now we decided to walk to the one UPS store we had seen.  It was located across the street from the Marian Market, the open air market.  The box weighed just under 10 lbs and was full of gifts for our loved ones back home.  Nothing was wrapped inside because we haven’t seen gift wrap for sale.  We had sealed the box but the clerk said we had to open it.  I had to take every single thing out of the box to show her.  She kept apologizing but I told her it was fine I had nothing to hide. 

Our one UPS shipping store

The clerk said we had to receive permission first, from the Minister of Culture and Tourism in Nigeria, before we could send many of the items we had purchased as gifts.  I would love to have received that information before I walked all the way there.  Well I thought, some of my loved ones will get their gifts on Christmas and some will have to wait. I kissed the box and cried the whole way home.

I was VERY FRUSTRATED. I bet he will require a hefty bribe which will make it impossible for me to ship a second box anytime soon.  This half empty box cost me almost $200 to ship to Oregon.  I did get a tracking number and she promised the box would arrive within a week but it didn’t make me feel a whole lot better.  The cost wasn’t the problem.  I had suspected as much and had set money aside for it.  What hurt was the fact I could not send all my gifts.  

It is just so depressing. I cannot go home for Christmas so I wanted to send some of this amazing culture home to share with my loved ones. Now I wonder, if I had bribed the clerk at UPS, if I could have put those things back in the box. I just don't think in those terms. It never crossed my mind. They weren't even anything big just some small wooden carvings and something made with a cow's tail that my son would have thought was really awesome. Whatever, I just feel like pond scum. I help people out by buying their crafts so they can put food on their table and then the greedy, corrupt government here gets to rob me. Why? I am here to love their country's children not take advantage of anything. I guess I am still really sad about this.  On Monday, I will try to find this Minister of Culture.  I left messages with people at the school which should know how to do this but I haven’t heard a word back yet.  It seems even the National staff have left for Christmas.

 God is so good.  I waited to post this blog having faith this issue could be resolved and God took care of it.  Last night our school business manager came to our flat.  He wanted to take us to the school Monday morning because someone from the US consulate wanted to tour our school.  We said sure if you help us obtain the permission we need to mail the rest of our gifts.  He had already heard about our problem and said he would help us.  

Inside the Culture and Tourism Office

So this morning after we helped at the school he took us to the Minister of Culture and Tourism for the letter of permission.  It was a really nice letter.  I wish we could have made a copy of it.  Next, he took us to the Post Office where we were able to mail the second box, which included all the cultural stuff we had purchased.  We decided to take advantage of the letter and not have a problem bringing the other stuff home later.  I know our luggage will get searched.  In the back of the Post Office was the EMS Speedpost office.  The box will take a week  so our son should get the box this next Monday.  The great thing was I had just the right amount of money to send it.  Literally the right amount, it was a God thing. This time it was only 13,000 Naira (just under $100) and the box was even heavier than the last one.  I am so thankful all our gifts are now on their way home to the USA.  I will not try to mail Nigerian art next year.  I will use Amazon.com or something like it.