I feel a bit more Mexican today.
When I moved down here, I was concerned about my magazine subscriptions. I may be a big internet user, but I love my magazines. Especially, my news and commentary magazines.
The usual suspects told me never to use the Mexican mail system. It simply does not work. Of course, they were the same people who told me it was unsafe to drive in Mexico.
So, off I went to Manzanillo to set up a mailbox with Mailboxes, Etc. It was a bit like dating. I paid a lot of money and got late deliveries. It took two to three weeks for my magazines to get to me.
After two and a half years of this semi-dysfunctional relationship, I decided enough was enough. Two friends in the highlands convinced me, through their testimonials, that the Mexican postal system was better than its American counterpart.
In June, I rented a Mexican post office box in Melaque -- and dutifully sent off change of address forms to the three magazines I receive regularly. (One of my favorites arrives on my Kindle.)
And then I waited. No magazines in June. None in July. None in August. I was beginning to wonder if the change was a good idea.
But I knew the address was correct because a friend in Nevada and another in Hawaii sent letters that arrived within two weeks of mailing.
Then just as I was ready to have everything sent to the Manzanillo box, a miracle occurred. On the same day, my National Geographic and American Spectator showed up. And not late. They were both the September editions.
Since today is the last day of the month, I drove down to Manzanillo and turned my key over to what was formerly known as Mailboxes, Etc. I am happy to report they were sad to see me go. But it is a service I no longer require.
For some reason, The Economist has not yet made it to the Mexican box, but I am certain it will. And, if not, not.
I need to get out more often and see the world rather than just read about it. That will also make me feel more Mexican.
21 comments:
We've always gotten our mail at the house here, not always fast but generally reliable. I wondered if it were just Merida, or if the postal service really had improved. It's good to hear it works elsewhere as well.
The Mexican postal system is not better than the U.S. mail by a long shot, but it's quite serviceable when you learn its quirks. A few years ago I also subscribed to the Economist, and it arrived in my box very reliably.
For the past decade and a half, my only source of mail delivery has been the Mexican postal service. Despite its quirks, it delivers, and it does it well, making giant strides since the days of yore. Strangely, it takes some time for a magazine to get the change of address processed, never mind it's all done electronically, but once it gets going, you will get your magazines. And in time, you may even get some a a few days ahead of the cover date. Now, don't forgot your postman come November.
My neighbors and I have experienced some problems with local mass mail -- like the Telmex bills. For some reason, they seem to go missing a lot. But it is one of those bills that is the same every month. So, I just trundle down to Telmex and pay it -- with or without the bill.
OK. "Better" was my hyperbole. Not the testimonial of you-know-who. Both whos, I guess.
The address change is what surprised me. Both National Geographic and The American Spectator informed me the new address would not change until the September issue. I do not understand that. But The Economist informed me the address would change in 6 days. It did. The issues stopped in Manzanillo, but have never arrived in Melaque. It is baffling.
And what am I suppose to remember in November?
Dia del Cartero, November 12. This is when you give the mailman a tip. Or in your case, the post office.
Another day I did not know about. But I may be in Yucatan on that day. Perhaps I should tip in advance.
There's no problem with paying ahead of time. Just tell the post office people that's what you're doing.
I get our magazines fairly reliably--they are reliably two weeks late--but they get here, through one of those mail forwarding services in San Miguel custom-made for gringos. I had heard that the Mexican postal system would not deliver magazines, or that you'd have to pay extra postage. Must be another one of those half-baked reports that float around San Miguel.
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Maybe they only hold hostage those magazines that sound as if they are about money. My other magazines are arriving just fine.
At the office we always get The Economist on Mondays. Which means it's delayed by 2 days only. But that's Mexico City of course.
"It was a bit like dating. I paid a lot of money and got late deliveries"
Steve-Steve-Steve - too late to teach an old dog new tricks?
We have had a Post Office box at the main office in Patzcauro for 15 years and have only had one issue, that of an issue being delayed and obviously read. It was an issue of Sunset Magazine and it was removed from the plastic bag it comes in, all the blowins were gone and the bag re-taped.
I guess the postman wanted to read the issue.
Otherwise it has been a decent service and one positive thing is that you don't get tons of crap like you did NOB of advertisement throwaways.
The advertisements were one reason I cancelled Mailboxes, Etc. Most of the mail I received was mailing list junk. And then I had to pay for the delivery of stuff I did not want in the first place. When the political contribution letters started showing up, I was done.
This dog does not even understand what a trick is these days.
Your edition is probably printed in Mexico City. Mine is mailed from Ohio -- or some other unusual place that begins and ends with a vowel.
I just went to get a PO box here in Guanajuato. It is $300 mxn per year, but they bill on the calendar year. So, I'd have to pay $300 for the next three months, and $300 again in January. Ah, México. This kind of stuff doesn't even get to me anymore.
I had the same experience in June. Maybe it makes the usual price increases on 1 January easier.
we have a mail forwarding service in SD and I have them ship our accumulated mail once a month, sometimes it takes 2 weeks, sometimes 6 weeks. Been doing this for 2 years, they toss out the junk mail for us. The Melaque Post Office delivers directly to our house, no mailbox required. We have received every shipment, none ever lost. And everything we've mailed back to the US or Germany, arrived there as well.
I have been very happy with the Melaque post office. The only mystery is the complete disappearance of my subscription to The Economist.
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