16 October, 2016

Five Minute Friday: Mail

Has it been a week already? I haven't written about anything that's happening right now, and it's time for Five Minute Friday! (Although it's Sunday, for me.)

Five Minute Friday is a one-word writing prompt, provided by Kate at Heading Home. Fortunately, we are given one week to fulfill the challenge of writing about that one word for Five Minutes. "Five Minute" Friday, you see. Only Five minutes. It's about Brevity. 

Starting my timer... Now!

International Mail in 2016

I am an actual letter-writer. When growing up overseas in the 80s, it was the only way to stay in touch with people back home in the States. I wrote less by the time I came back for college, but picked it back up with a few select friends as an adult.

I have always sent Christmas cards in my adult life, in addition to the 3 or 4 people who get a written letter or card a couple times a year. I don't write letters a lot, but I do write more than most people in this day and age.

I thought that habit would serve me well when my husband and I recently moved to Beijing. Much of social media is (theoretically) blocked, so I updated my address book and planned to spend quality time writing.

OOPS! Best-laid plans.
In our nearly three weeks here, I've not seen a post office. We've been told our mailbox is so defunct we don't even get a key. If anything is "mailed" to us, it will be delivered by courier.

Two of the people I write to are not on social media at all. One doesn't even have email! I have yet to determine how to get a letter back to the US.

...And absolutely no clue how I will do Christmas cards this year!  

~~Five minutes, done.

4 comments:

  1. Dear Red, Wow being overseas even adds to the problem. How about e cards. But then if they are not on social media you can't get a card to them that way. My problem is procrastination and losing addresses. Of course an address book would solve problem two. Maybe I will do that today after I write my blogs. I am in the October writing challenge. I am Type A so I am not doing just the 5 minutes but also 31 days of life verses from the bible. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Blessings Diana

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    1. life verses from the Bible! That sounds like a terrific challenge! I will have to try it out another month. Right now my schedule keeps changing and I can't guarantee writing time on any given day.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. You are telling us so much about how other countries are. We are very spoiled here in the states. I did not know they blocked so much social media. I wish we would block some here!! LOL!

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    1. They have their own apps for everything. Actually, it seems like just a few "super-apps". People order their food - even fast food and pay at the same time, from their phones! And our Visa and Mastercards? Almost 100% no good in China. Ikea is the only place we've been able to charge anything.

      Maybe the big hotels that cater to foreigners would accept them at their stores.

      It's definitely a different world!

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