Snail Mail

This week I am in Suva, and have been able to talk to my family and friends back home more than usual, which has been awesome and refreshing! Often when I talk to people they ask how they can send mail and what they can send.  I didn’t want to make a post about things I want, but considering I’ve been asked a few times I thought it might make it easier to make a post people can refer to 🙂

If you would like to send any kind of mail my address is:
Carissa Wills-DeMello
Nabasovi Nursing Station
Post Office Nasau
Koro Island, Fiji Islands
South Pacific
(make sure Fiji and South Pacific is written clearly so it doesn’t end up in Fuji, Japan!)

If you’d like to send any kind of package, some ideas of things I miss from home…
–books – it’s always good to get a new read, send me your favorite 🙂
–ground coffee (instant just can’t compare)
–tea (there’s plenty of plain black tea here, I’m missing good chai, anything lavender, not much variety here!)
–chia seeds, cacao nibs, etc. (any kind of healthy ingredients like this that I can’t find here)
–nuts, granola, muesli, trail mix: nuts are wicked expensive here! 😦 especially walnuts… can you imagine, $35 for a big bag?!
–spices (not much variety here, curry every day)
–little kid goodies: stickers, coloring books, crayons, cheap nail polish (I’ve somehow become the resident nail tech in my village) –it’s nice to be able to share little things here and there!
–crafty things – It’s always nice to be able to relax at home and make something 🙂 The spool of string and crayons I brought were the best last minute additions to my bag!
–candles (I was given a solar light, and yet i still only use my candles… everything is better by candle light!)
–stationary: anything I can use to journal, draw, write letters, etc.  I’m running low on pens and notebooks with all the writing I do! Blank cards are nice for letters home (you can find them cheap at TJMaxx)
–body products (missing my non toxic things.. haha)
–chocolate – any chocolate or chocolate covered anything! mmmmm Cadbury chocolate in Suva just doesn’t cut it.
–dried fruits – cranberries, blueberries, strawberries.. the stuff that I can’t find here but miss so much 🙂
–music or movies – a USB with good music or tv shows would be fun!

Basically any kind of healthy snack foods/cooking ingredients or things to keep me entertained would be cool, if you want ideas… but truly, surprises are wonderful, and it’s even more fun to see what someone at home thinks to send me 🙂

Some guidelines for packages:
-Should cost under $200, or customs will make me pay $$$ to pick it up
-USPS should have a flat rate box that is the cheapest way to send things here, also seems most reliable
-Food should either be packaged or at least in a package- good to put snacks in some kind of jar or tin if they aren’t already, plus I can use that stuff!
-In claiming what is in the package for customs, be broad- you can say “snacks” instead of trail mix for instance.. this will make it easier for things to get through and not be questioned 🙂
-Email me the tracking # when you send a package (carissa.wills.demello@gmail.com), otherwise it is hard to know when I go to the post office if a package is just taking a long time or is lost in the abyss of the pacific islands

All that being said, there’s nothing better than a simple handwritten note from home.  Holding an envelope that passed through the hands of a loved one so far away does so much to raise my spirits and make my day!  On those days when I’m missing home, all I need to do is pull out my little box of notes from home–instant smile 🙂 Will post again in the next few days with more life updates.  I’ve been in Suva for the last week to restock and see friends for the New Year, so I’ve been quite busy.  I should be here for another week though, with consistent power for once, so I’ll get to updating my blog!