Mail Time

This entry is to tell you a little bit about the Tanzanian Postal service and to update everyone on small change to my address.

There are two kinds of mail services in TZ. First and most reliable is the Tanzanian mail service which works just like US mail. You put a stamp and an address on a letter and take it to the post office and mail it. I haven't received any mail from a Tanzanian using this method.

Tanzanians use the other mail service called "Bush Mail". This is not as reliable but it is free making it the service of choice by almost all villagers. The way it works is you write the name and village (and maybe some other info if you have it, like near the big tree in the market) and either put it on a bus or give it to someone going in that direction and hope it gets there. Surprisingly, it usually does get there.

Here are a couple examples of "bush mail" I have received:

This was a typed letter with my name and village written on the front.

MASSAGE TO ALL PCVS MUFINDI

PLEASE PLAN OF FOLLOWING FOR THE PLANED ACTIVITIES SEND TO GRAND GOORDINATOR OR MAMA MSECHU.

I haven't quite figured out what it means but I have an idea. The next letter I got had along with it an envelope addressed to a volunteer from 3 years ago in the states and at the end of the address in big capital letters it said TANZANIA. Here is what the letter that was with the envelope said.

Please dear sir: I request you to posted this letter for to Mr. Michael/Mrs. Turmola. The address I have mentioned. So the problem is to put the stamp. I will be thanks if you will accept me.
Your Faithful,
Onesmo

I thought you would enjoy those. As for my address, all the volunteers in my area use the same PO Box however a volunteer from Peace corps past lost the key so we use a cardboard box under the desk at the post office. They recently changed the lock for our PO box and sold it to someone else so my new address is:

Chris Brown (Peace Corps)
P.O. Box 369/Private bag
Mafinga, Tanzania
East Africa

This way they will continue putting our mail into our box under the desk instead of giving it to the new owner of our actual address.

Spelling error disclaimer. I have a time limit at the computer cafe so I usually type fast and don't have time to spell check.

All for now. Talk to you soon.