Is the Dutch Postal System Causing Delays for International Mail?

[Monique]

There is a saying: Going Dutch.. basically it says that Dutch people are very stingy about their money.. it is just so true, let me tell you.

I called the university that I want to apply to today in Amsterdam.. I asked if they could send me the application forms.. OK, give address, in US, all seems OK.

Just before she is going to hang up I ask her: I want to be sure that this mail is going to be sent by priority or airmail.. if not it will go onto a boat and will take at least 2 months to get here (believe me, it happened before).

She says: No.
Me: what?
She: cannot do that.
Me: why?
She: it has to go through regular mail.
Me: but it will take 2 mo. to get here
She: I can't help it.
Me: Yes, you can, it just needs to be sent by airmail.
She: cannot do that.
Me: why?
She: all the mail is sent to students through regular mail, I cannot make an exception for you (another trait mark of the Dutch: everyone is equal and should be treated equally)

Then she started complaining that it would be expensive, I told her, only costs a few EUROs, but she would have to go to the post office, I told her, don't you have people that bring the mail to the post office? Someone has to do it.. She: sorry, cannot do it.

ARGH! In the end I finally got her pursuaded to write 'airmail' on the envelope and that the people taking care of it after her would know what to do.

I couldn't believe it!

 

[eNtRopY]

Yes, but you are forgetting that college in the Netherlands is free for all Dutch citizens. So, I can understand why they would want to cut corners on postage.

Not to offend you, but why didn't you just have her send you the application in pdf format? You could have also asked her to fax it to you, or you could have asked her to put the postage charges on your credit card.

eNtRopY

 

[Monique]

Originally posted by eNtRopY
Yes, but you are forgetting that college in the Netherlands is free for all Dutch citizens. So, I can understand why they would want to cut corners on postage.

Not to offend you, but why didn't you just have her send you the application in pdf format? You could have also asked her to fax it to you, or you could have asked her to put the postage charges on your credit card.

eNtRopY

It is not free, it will cost me Eur 1300,- a year.. ok.. practically free right ;P that is probably the same amount as what you would pay for a single class in the US.

The problem was that she wasn't being accomodating at all, you really think she would have made a pdf file? Time is money too you know :P I told her that I could pay for it, but that also means a hassel for her. The fax thing is a good idea btw, I will call again monday and try to get that done.

stupid people.

 

[Monique]

Oh, actually, it is true that professional education is free in the Netherlands, the government will pay the first 4 years of education, but I have already spent 3.5 years so..

 

[Dissident Dan]

Holy crap! The Netherlands rock. Free college. Well, I have a scholarship that pays for all my tuition in spring and fall semesters, but not summer, and not everyone gets it. I'm liking these socialistic European countries with their free health care and free postsecondary education.

 

[Dj Sneaky Whiskers]

(another trait mark of the Dutch: everyone is equal and should be treated equally)

You're right to rant, God damn those filthy swine! I say bomb them until they start building up a respectable elite class to whom preferential treatment can rightly be shown! ;)

 

[drag]

Sounds more like simple beurocracy to me...
I hate beurocrats !

Live long and prosper.

 

[N_Quire]

Higher education is free in Sweden. You pay your own living expenses but there are no tuition fees. That's one major reason I looked into going to graduate school there.

 

[rutwig]

Originally posted by Monique
Just before she is going to hang up I ask her: I want to be sure that this mail is going to be sent by priority or airmail.. if not it will go onto a boat and will take at least 2 months to get here (believe me, it happened before).

Some comments; in all you should be happy that the post does not come from Russia, unfortunately there a letter from Moscow to say Cheliabinsk ususally takes many weeks (indeed last month some post sent from Europe in july was being distributed!)
Second, there is a more convenient method to obtain your application forms more rapidly. If you know somebody which could be an intermediate, let the form be sent to him/her, and then this person can send it by airmail, chronopost or some other option to you.