Job Discussion Forums

MELEE · Posted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:08 pm Post subject:

Tim,
I think I saw a guy wearing that T-shirt in downtown Merida in April, 2002. I wondered where how on earth he got a Mesquakie Bingo t-shirt, I guess he was a postal worker!
My brother sent me a Starfish Software t-shirt in 1998 as well, I've never gotten either, keep your eyes peeled! Laughing

On a serious note, you guys send cards and letters? Everyone I know, including my 80 year old uncle, is using email...
I say currior for packages into Mexico, Mexpost is fine for packages out of Mexico. Don't send shoes by any method or you will have to pay mega bucks for them. Have the person sending the package lable it unsolicited gifts, but you will still have to pay some duty on anything Mexico makes, coffee, clothes, shoes, candy...

saraswati · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 200

Shipping via Mexican post is a bit of a toss up. Some packages have made it through intact; others have been opened and only unwanted items have made it through...

delacosta · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 325 Location: zipolte beach

It's a risky affair to send anything by regular post to Mexico.
So risky in fact that you can not get postage insurance for anything once it crosses the Mexican border.
I've gotten about 50 % of what I've been sent. Including books that I can't believe any Mexican would steal.

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

I wouldn't try to send anything of great monetary or sentimental value to Mexico. While I was in the US, I sent some things by Federal Express air ($200). Eight weeks later FedEx's partner in Mexico MailPac called me to pick up some broken boxes that had been looted by Mexican customs and totally destroyed by MailPac.. MailPac had put them on busses instead of air. In any case, do not trust FedEx or MailPac sending items into Mexico.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

DHL is the way to go, at least in my area.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

In DF as well, but even DHL can't do anything if customs gets hold of your package...I had one held 'hostage' for weeks as customs kept calling me demanding ever-increasing duties. I half expected them to send me pieces of the contents to show me they were serious. I called their bluff and had DHL ship it back to Canada and the shipper got a refund.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Hooray! Not one but TWO of the packages I was waiting for arrived today. Both were sent on October 31 by 'airmail'... and both boxes looked as though they'd been sat on by an elephant! Still, the contents were intact so I'm a partially-happy camper.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Is it your cumplea�os, Ls650? If so, congrats! I don't get packages unless it is mine, so just a guess. Guy is right....some stuff just can't arrive for some reason. It goes into Aduana hell never to be seen again. I discourage anything sent to me other than with a traveller by air or car. The perk of living in a tourist area. Always someone coming or going.

Chaney · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Fort Worth, Texas

I would have to agree with the other poster on this topic. I lived in Guadalajara for a good length of time about a couple of years ago. Anything mailed via the normal post service either to or from mexico was always a risky endeavor. You will never be sure whether your package is going to arrive at all, and if it does plan on being patient as it will definitely take a long delivery time. Anything of value that needs to be mailed or anything that has a deadline for delivery should be mailed via fedex/ups/dhl, I recommend dhl as well. Postcards and letters usually arrive via the normal postal service, but as previously stated they will take a long time to arrive. Another helpful tip: if a package is being sent to you in mexico try and have it delivered to a business address. I found that having my packages delivered to my gf's place of bussiness generally arrived days if not weeks faster than when they were delivered to my home address.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I don't know how much of a difference that would make. I've always used the university address as I'm not home through the day to receive packages. Of course, if the package looks more like something 'official' for the university rather than for "a rich gringo", all the better.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Nov. 12th was Dia del Cartero or Lettercarrier's Day (oh, how PC of me, I mean Mailman Day). Did anyone tip their mailman or give them a nice gift?

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

We always give the carrier something on Dia del Cartero (though I have never seen an envelope yet). I had never heard it goes back to the post office and I tend to think that the carrier keeps it himself given the intensity with which some of them follow up!

asi va · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 19

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

About Mailman's day? Absolutely.... There are many special days in Mexico, to be taken quite seriously. You must know about Teachers Day? Now there's a good day!