Staying in Touch


Home
Pen Pals

 

 

Keep in Touch!
I will rarely have access to e-mail, so please send me mail the old-fashioned way to:

  PLEASE NOTE CHANGE FROM PCT TO PCV 

PCV Kate Whitmore
C/O Corps de la Paix
06 BP 1282
Cidex 01, Abidjan 06 Cote d'Ivoire

Postage:  The USPS has an international postage rate calculator web site at ircalc.usps.gov.  It appears to be $0.80 for up to 1.0 ounce; $1.55 for up to 2.0 ounces, $2.30 for up to 3.0 ounces.  Make sure to check out the web site for more details and options.

Transit Time:  The US Post Office will try to tell you that "air mail" will arrive in 3-5 days and "ground" is 10-12 days.  HA!  The seasoned volunteers tell us "ground" = 6-12 MONTHS & "air" = 3-4 WEEKS.  So please, if you're mailing me a letter or package, write "PAR AVION" all over it & have the Post Office send it airmail.

Customs Charges:  In addition to the postage that you pay to send the packages, I also have to pay an incoming customs pick-up fee.  For packages under $10 in value, I pay 30 cents.  For packages over $10 in value, I pay between $2-3, depending on I'm not sure what.  The values are determined on the customs form you fill out at the post office, which is then affixed to the package.  The customs charges are also likely to be higher if you send a box, so please use a PADDED ENVELOPE whenever possible. 

Recorded Letters:  I have a cassette player now, so if you would rather record a letter and send it, that's great too!

E-Mail:  Many of you have asked how you can email me.  Here's how that will work:
-  Sit at your computer
-  Write me an email
-  Print the email
-  Fold the email and put it in an envelope
-  Address the envelope to me at the address shown above
-  Stamp and mail the email  :)