September 12: The stamp story
This story actually begins on my second Saturday in Togo, when I began writing postcards in the car on the long ride from Kara to Lome. I asked Jean about where to get stamps, and he suggested I ask at the hotel. He said there was one price for stamps to Europe, and one for stamps to the US. He wasn’t sure what the price to Japan would be.
While waiting for Mary to pick me up to go to a nightclub for djambe and music, I went to the front desk and got a quote: 950 for stamps to the U.S. and Europe, 750 to Japan. I asked if she was sure, and told her my friend had told me the price for Europe
and the U.S. should be different. She said she was sure. I handed over the money, and then she said I should give her the cards and she would mail them. I said I’d like her to give ME the stamps to put on the cards, and I would mail them. I wanted to make sure the cards were actually stamped, not left to sit on the desk while she pocketed the money.
That’s when she said that she didn’t have the stamps. They would be delivered on Monday. I smelled a rat. At the same time, I didn’t want to be overly paranoid. I decided to wait for Mary to come and pick me up. When she arrived, I told her the situation. She said 950 CFAs seemed very high for stamps. She suggested I take the cards back and get my money back, which I did.
On Tuesday morning before the seminar in Kpalime started, I went with Jean to the post office in Kpalime. We had to go in the morning because the post office closes for lunch from 12:00 to 14:30 and then opens again until 4:00; I had seminars in the
afternoon. Jean asked and was told that the price was 650 for the U.S. and Asia, and 550 for Europe. I found myself irritated with the woman at the hotel for trying to rip me off, and relieved that I hadn’t left my money or cards there.
Tags: Africa, Togo, Travel
admin
Leave a Reply