Our morning in the post office!

Because I have the most amazing friends in the world (1), Zahava and I set out on Thursday morning to pick up a package sent to me from New York. (2) I don't think I detailed our last visit to the post office, but to be concise, it took around three hours, my wallet was stolen, and I almost cried numerous time. By some miracle, on Thursday, we got to the post office at around 11:45, and less than 15 minutes later, the package was sitting in front of us!

Unlike in America, when you pick up a package, you can't just sign for it and walk out; you have to open the package in front of them and they charge you different amounts based on what is contained in the package. So Zahava and I opened it, revealing loads of candy, Purell, letters, disposable cameras (awesome!), a dance mix CD (guess if that was from Rachel or Peter?) and season 3 of The Office. (3) The woman looked inside and declared that I owed 10 cedis for this package.

I would have shrugged and paid the 10 cedis, but Zahava immediately started arguing that it was too much, so the woman offered to make us a chart explaining the cost. She had all these additional costs- VAT, health insurance (yes, for a package. Zahava and I were cracking up in front of her), etc. That added up to 6 cedis, and then she said that there was a blanket 3 cedi expense on all packages for transportation from the airport. Zahava started freaking out, "If I went to the airport, picked up a single package, and then took a cab straight here, it would be 3 cedis! Is that how the post office works? Do you guys not have a truck? How inefficient!" Obviously the post office workers were confused, and Zahava and I were cracking up. She asked how much we think transportation should cost, and I said that it shouldn't be more than 30 pesewas per package. She was loving us and our chutzpah; both women working with us were laughing and repeating what was going on (in Twi) to the other post office workers in a clear tone of 'sheesh, get a load of these white girls.' (4)

Bottom line, they agreed, and we ended up paying 6 cedis and 30 pesewas for the package. A satisfying morning, especially when we got to spend the tro tro back eating Mentos and taking pictures of ourselves with a disposable camera.

It just baffles the mind that we were able to convince the postal workers to lower the price of receiving a package by arguing with them. (Of course, it also baffles the mind that we have to pay to receive a package in any case, but that's neither here nor there.) In retrospect, the bureaucracy, like the experiences with the post office and the university, made our experience in the Ghanaian embassy before we came here make so much more sense.

(1) Hey Peter and Rachel!
(2) The package had gotten in a week earlier, but because of finals and Togo, my first free day was yesterday.
(3) Again, how much do my friends rock??
(4) I hear that tone a lot, especially when I'm with Zahava.