Tuesday, December 05, 2006

An expensive lesson

Getting packages from North America is one of the most exciting things we experience here in Brazil. Even though the contents of the package might not be that exciting, our hearts beat faster than normal as we dive into the goodies. It's like Christmas every time.

But this week we got a package that was bittersweet. Our parents sent us a package and, in an attempt to make sure that everything went well, insured the contents for $75. When the Brazilian authorities saw that the package had been insured, they figured the contents must be really valuable (even though the contents were clearly listed on the box) and charged us an additional $75 US to RECEIVE the box.

If you are ever sending a package to us, please follow these instructions:

1. Never insure the contents.

2. List the contents, but be as vague as possible. "Childrens toys" is preferable to "a doll, a Tonka truck, and a puzzle."

3. Send items by the cheapest method. Paying the extra for faster shipping usually isn't worth it. $25 for 6 weeks or $40 for 4 weeks. We're not that fussy about when we get it, as long as we get it.

I don't want anyone to be discouraged from sending things, but we can't afford to double-pay for items sent to us either. Thanks.