A recent development in the UAE mail delivery may have gone unnoticed by a lot of people. I, myself, had seen only one before in the JVT community. At the time, I pondered on what ‘connections’ this family must have to get their own personal mailbox attached to their house.

Mail delivery is a common woe that many UAE expats frequently complain about. It often seems to take weeks, if not months, for your post to arrive at destination. Until now, when family wanted to send a letter (yes, I know that sounds like the stone ages), you had to provide the company post box address (generally the husband’s company). Hard to get love letters delivered that way!

In the context of restrictions to post office hours and cut-backs on postal delivery persons going on in most European countries and in the States, it seems incredible that the UAE has embarked on a new plan to actually deliver mail to our homes. Quite a feat in a country, particularly in my neighborhood, that either lacks street signs or regularly changes street names. It’s hard to believe that Emirates Post has found this will be a cost-effective service to offer. In any account, I will be happy to see the postal person three times a week at my house. I would have been satisfied with once a week. Most likely, I may hardly get a paper letter once a month, given that actually penning a note to friends and family has gone out of style.

Mail is maybe making an unexpected comeback. And a fancy one, no less. Keys were delivered in an impressive box emphasizing the feeling I got of being among the privileged few to have my mail delivered right to my doorstep. No more Aramex!

Fancy box for mailbox keys

I welcome this new initiative and find it most exciting. In this age of internet and e-communications, I look forward to receiving the first paper letter in my mailbox with great anticipation. I eagerly await the moment my children can experience the thrill of opening the box to find their favorite magazine. It’s so nice to see them lazily leafing through a paper magazine in their bedroom without having a buzzing computer connection ‘parasiting’ their pleasure. Yes, the simple joys of yesterday have now come to the far-advanced metropolis of Dubai. In the name of progress, go out and get your own home postal box today!