Monday, November 15, 2010

Pouch Trolls

A few weeks ago I contacted the diplomatic pouch center in Dulles to find out what happened to a CVS package that hadn't arrived. Unsatisfied with the skin care products available in Kathmandu, I was eager to get my Aveeno products. Dulles responded that they returned the package because it exceeded the amount of liquids allowed by God (aka the FAM).

I calculated the total number of ounces of face wash, lotions, and eye cream and determined that it was about 10 oz. The FAM allows up to 16 oz. Ten ounces is less than sixteen ounces. Unless they were counting the bottle of Excedrin gel tabs as liquid. I explained this to the pouch trolls at Dulles, but they ignored me.

My mother was kind enough to purchase the desired Aveeno products and ship them to me. Concerned that the pouch trolls might, once again, return the package, she included a letter in the box. It read, in part:

"I hope that once you've inspected the products you will permit this shipment to go to Heather as she has discovered that the skin care products in Nepal are less than satisfactory. I have left the items in their original packaging and sealed the box quite securely. I hope everything is in order. I appreciate your vigilance in keeping our people abroad safe from harm but please, once you have verified the safety of this package, permit it to go to Heather. She gets cranky when her skin-care regimen is interrupted."

I'm pleased to say the package arrived safely.

2 comments:

Toby's Random Musings said...

Sarah, hi

I stumbled across your blog as an aspirant FSO (in the silent purgatory of Final Review Board), and I just wanted to thank-you so much for a fascinating insight in the realities of State. The only downside was that starting at midnight here in London, I ended up reading the whole thing!

So have a wonderful time in Nepal - and very many thanks again. With luck, perhaps our paths will cross one of these days.

Toby

Becky said...

Your mom is awesome.