After my success sending mail back to the US from Mexico, I was more confident that I’d be able to repeat my success in another country. Our time in Japan felt a bit rushed, so I didn’t try it there, but I noticed lots of boxes marked “China Post” when walking around Shanghai, so I just needed to find some postcards and stamps and I’d have another country checked off.
It turned out to be even easier than I imagined! We took the train from Shanghai to Huangshan on our third day in China, and on our second day in Huangshan, we were walking with our guide through Xidi Village, when I spotted a shop that looked like it sold stationary inside. A sign above the door said China Post!
I asked the guide if there was time for me to stop and try to send some postcards, and he said, no problem. Inside the shop were sheets of postage stamps, pens, and displays of various kinds of stationery, including a wall of postcards with reproductions of watercolor paintings depicting local village scenes. I made my selection of postcards and went to the counter where there were two young people working. Using my translation app, I asked how much postage I would need to mail my cards to the US. The girl counted my cards, then asked “America?” I nodded, and she found the stamps I needed and pasted them to the cards for me. She handed them back and said, “phone number, name, address” and pointed out where the mail drop slot was. I dashed off a quick note on each and sent them off to America! (I hope!)
