Dear Readers,
Today I found out how an embargo upon Iran by the US and other countries can affect the simple process of sending a letter to someone in that country.
I have had a wonderful request from an Iranian writer who is considering translating my story "One Seed" into Persian. This has long been a dream of mine, for the story does indeed take place on the Persian desert. It is also a story about peace and how it takes "One Seed to make a difference."
Yesterday I went to Canada Post with my envelope containing the book and CD (
http://www.oneseedstory.com/) and was told it was too large for regular postage (even though I have been sending it thusly for the last four years), could not get it registered because of the size, and that it could be tracked only if sent as a small package which would cost me in the vicinity of $60 which is way beyond my budget. So, I thought I would investigate other methods of shipping.
Today I checked out FedEx and UPS, both coming out of Canada, for rates and size. I never even thought there would be an issue of whether it would ever get to its destination. I just had the gut feeling that I had to put tracking on the package. I was told that sorting of shipping occurs in the US so anything out of Canada is also victim to the embargo on Iran.
When checking with Canada Post again, main information, I was told, after the clerk did some investigating, that at this time there is also a block from Canada Post which ships through US companies.
So, even if I had spent $60 on this little package, it would never have got to Iran.
It's just a simple thing really - but shows me how the Middle East situation can affect us.
In addition, I had received an e-mail from a very reliable source this week warning of the military build-up in the US against Iran. The "Armada" (my term for list of destroyers and ships) is evidently a bigger fleet of ships than was sent for the Gulf War.
Whatever, it all seems really nasty, as though the US is set to invade Iran. It rings so much like the build-up for the invasion of Iraq - the same basic underlying issue - oil. It's all politics! Greed and power!
So what of all the people living in Iran? People like you and me living supposedly normal lives? To be pawns in a political game? Isn't it time for humans to change and instead of re-acting with violence, sit down and negotiate in peace? Will that ever happen? I like to think that it will eventually, some day.
So I thank Canada Post yesterday for telling me I would have to pay so much for my parcel. It forced me to look into the matter even more and to eventually find out what is happening at this moment in the Middle East. There was a gift in the problem. I have learned something new.
I shake my head.
I pray for peace.
Rosemary