Mail boxes

Having got used to our manners and practices long time, it is natural we feel unfamiliar with people, streets, houses, and whatever we run into in a foreign country. In the beginning of our life to settle down there, unexpectedly, we often get in troubles due to unawareness of their social manners. For example, we know very well how Korean mailing system runs because we have seen, heard, and experienced it quiet long time. Mailmen drop off all incoming mails or packages into the mail boxes being all together in hallway of our apartments. Besides, our mail boxes are always open that we do not have keys for them. On the other hand, all mail boxes are a bit apart from the main doors of the apartments in the United States. Putting it in another way, mail boxes for all residents are either all together in hallway like Korea or in separated spaces outside. The problems arise when mail boxes are outside, aside from our apartment buildings. My friend, a newcomer, had troubles with mailing because of his inexperience of outside mail boxes. Some mails from his kids' school should be returned because he never picked them up from his mail box a while because he wasn't thinking that his mail box was possibly outside so he never attempted to go out picking them up. This happening looks ridiculous to people who are accustomed to it, but it could be sort of a culture shock to someone.

There are somethings to be dealt with when it comes to mailing in the United States. When someone moves in, a little card from the post office is in each mail box to make sure who would be addressees for that address. After filling it in, we put it to the box to get it back to mail person. Otherwise, our mails could be returned labeled "blind". If we move out, then we'd better report our new or temporary address to the post office. We could visit near post offices, or go to the website, http://www.usps.com/ , providing the address changing service. Online service asks us to put our credit card information down to make sure our identities.