Post. Food. Pals.

I LOVE the idea of receiving something through the post. When I was younger, my godmother used to send me ‘birthday money’ from Australia. You know the Australian $s that have ‘windows’ in the notes? VERY exciting. I love getting letters and cards from friends and family. Back in the day, I even loved receiving a birthday card from a shoe shop in the next town! But they stopped sending me cards when I was around 12 years old.

Now-a-days, the only post I ever really receive is bills. And even at that I don’t have a lot of bills (is this good or bad? I’m not so sure… Good because I don’t seem to fork out a lot of money on bills. Bad because I realise I’m not paying off a car loan, as I don’t own a car and other such luxuries).

I’m in a long-distance relationship. I always ask my girlfriend to send me post, which she has done (after I begged her to), but she doesn’t see the excitement in it. She says it’s a cultural difference – this I’m not so sure of either! Is it an easy way to get out of sending me post?! She’s from the Basque Country (Northern Spain).

A terrible artist’s impression of the Basque Country’s borders – barkatu! It kinda looks like a heart there – the heart organ, not the symbol of amour. Yikes. 

Apparently most people there don’t even give each other cards on their birthdays?! WHAT/ZER? A few years ago, I received a birthday card from both my girlfriend and our friend Elena (Elena lives in southern Spain). One card, two names. I was so upset. I wanted a card JUST from my gf, and another card from Elena (I don’t ask for much, do I?!). Now when I look back I’m mortified that I made such a big deal about it! Maybe it is a cultural thing? If you are reading this, I’d love to know your thoughts on sending and receiving post.

I recently found out about Foodie Penpals (thanks Erica!). Foodie Penpals was started in the States by The Lean Green Bean, and brought across the Atlantic by Rock Salt. The idea is simple: you get matched with two Penpals each month; one person you send a foodie parcel to, and one person you receive a foodie parcel from. A PARCEL IN THE POST EVERY MONTH. WITH FOOD INSIDE! My Mam thinks it’s a weird idea. I think it’s the BEST. IDEA. EVER. She’ll be jealous.

This month, I sent a foodie parcel to Scotland – my old home! I’m not going to write a spoiler of what I put inside the parcel (just in case!), but here’s a snap of all the goodies wrapped up:

Fashionably wrapped in a page from a magazine and finished delicately with some mustard knitting wool.

I’ll be receiving a parcel from France. Although I don’t realllllly mind what I receive in the post (so long as it’s not a dead spider or anthrax), I have a severe dislike of cheese and cinnamon. I’m just about to email my French Penpal now as politely as possible about this. Cheese and cinnamon seem like the types of things I could receive from a French person… So keep your eyes peeled for the big reveal!

Slán anois!

Hayley 🙂