The Post Office in Abu Dhabi

Lobby - Madinat Zayed Post Office
 

Before there was a post office...

Letters and documents were placed inside a metal cylinder and transported by camel through the desert.  

Finely Tooled Cylinder to Carry Documents

Metal Cylinder to Carry Mail

  

The Post Office

The one place where women have more rights than men in the Middle East.  I was allowed to go to the head of the line! Go figure...    

I went to the Madinat Zayed post office to mail a birthday card to my friend in the United States.  As I was waiting patiently in line, the postal worker at the counter started calling out and motioning.  I looked around to see who he was talking to, but the men in line had turned and were all looking at me.  Then everyone began to motion to me.  

Postal Workers and Customers

Puzzled, I looked around and one of them spoke to me in English telling me that I needn’t wait in line.  As a woman, I was to go to the head of the line.  

Now that was a first!  Most of the time, woman are not treated as equals here in the Middle East.  So, imagine my pleasant surprise. 

About a month after I arrived in Abu Dhabi, I began receiving boxes which I had packed and shipped to myself from the United States.  I must have sent 20 boxes with clothes, shoes, household items, etc.  

It cost a fortune to ship all of these cartons from the USA, but I thought I needed lots of my stuff.  So, we received notices in our PO Box that we must pick up our boxes in person at the post office.  Mind you, there is no mail delivery in Abu Dhabi.  There aren’t even any street addresses, no mail boxes, etc.

Everyone has to rent a PO Box at the post office.  So, Bill and I headed out to the post office to get our boxes.  First, we had to remember that the hours/timings are split for postal workers.  

The post office is open from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, closed for lunch and an afternoon nap, and then reopens at 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  Strangest thing…

Take Your Ticket and Wait...  

We finally arrive at the post office and find the counter for pickup.  We give the postal worker our notice to pick up boxes.  He looks at it, consults with other postal workers and asks us to wait.  So, we wait and wait and wait...  

Finally, they bring out a large push cart with about 12 boxes.  Now Bill and I are ready to push the cart outside and load the boxes into our SUV.  But, no, there is another form of bureaucracy for us to bear.  They inform us that they must open every single box in front of us and review the contents of each box.  What? 

So, Bill and I endured the opening of about a dozen boxes watching them sort through everything.  I had packed black bras, strapless bras, etc.  Imagine my embarrassment when they looked in that box! What to do? 

Empost (Post Office)

Post Office - Abu Dhabi

We had packed CDs, books, odds and ends.  They went through the CDs and books very carefully so as not to let anything objectionable into the United Arab Emirates.  Well, finally their search was over.  We were free to go.  

But first, we had to pay another tariff on the boxes.  Therefore, I paid to ship them from the United States and I paid another enormous fee to receive them into the UAE.  I should have known better because we paid to receive our boxes when we moved to Mexico the year before this experience.

The first Christmas holiday season in Abu Dhabi arrived.  I was so excited to buy gifts from the Middle East for our children, my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and our only granddaughter, (at that time) Colleen.  

Our 'Charlie Brown' Christmas Tree

I went to a small souk near the apartment and bargained for pashminas, small ornaments for Christmas trees, small Oriental rug coasters, silver cylinders which were ornately carved and were originally used as letter carriers years ago when camels were the mode of transportation, silk scarves, post cards, and small wooden camels. 

Souq in Sharjah

Excited about my gifts, I eagerly wrapped and boxed all of the special gifts I had so carefully chosen.  

I asked Bill to take me to the post office because I did not have a driver’s license and he had to drive me everywhere.  My boxes were filled with wrapped gifts, taped closed, addressed, and ready to mail.   

But the post office personnel had other ideas about my shipment.  They had to open each box and inspect every single item in it.  I really felt that my privacy was being invaded, but I kept my mouth shut.  This is not my country or culture.  These are not my customs.  I’m a visitor here.  I’m an expatriate and an American. 

After they looked at everything, I was told in broken English, signaled and motioned to go to another section of the post office where yet another postal worker would re-tape my boxes. 

The story gets better…  Here is the most interesting part.  Not only did they tape my boxes again, but they measured sturdy, white material to fit around each box.  

Abu Dhabi Post Office

Lobby - Post Office

Then, they wrapped each individual box with the white cloth and hand stitched it closed as I watched in disbelief!  Can you imagine as I watched this process?  It was the strangest experience I’ve ever had.  

Next, they handed me a big black felt marker and indicated that I was to write the name and address on the pristine white material.  How bizarre… 

The postage was exorbitant!  I sent Bill to the post office with another box the following week and he paid nearly $60 (US Dollars) to send the box!  I don’t know how it was shipped, but it should have been air freight and fast.  I made certain that I went to the post office after that and mailed them as cheaply and slowly as possible.  But, they were still fairly expensive. 

Gold Souk - Dubai

Textile Souk - Dubai

I must say that my sister-in-law, Joanne, was quite intrigued when she and her husband, John, received the Christmas package from us.  They didn’t quite know what to think about the white cloth covered box.  

Interesting packaging and not quite like the speed and efficiency of the US Postal Service.  It took a couple of weeks for the boxes to be delivered. 

That’s when I made the decision to send a card and a check for future Christmas presents!  Merry Christmas from the Middle East!!!