Ol`gita Major: International Economic Relations Status: Workygirl I am fond of chocolates, flowers, friends, loud music, watching movies, taking pictures and traveling!!!

Post Offices
Olya Bezvushko

When you are living abroad, give your mailing address in the US to your family and friends who can write you or send parcels. If you do not know your mailing address before you live home let people know your permanent address as soon as possible. Make sure you include the zip code number in it. A zip code consists of a five-digit number and identifies the postal zone in which the address lies. If you change addresses while you are in the US, you have to go to the nearest office and fill the next forms:
     - Immigration Service Address Report
     - Change of Address Card. When you fill it, the post office will forward to your new mail address all mail addressed to your old one and will provide you this service for 12 month after the date you have changed the address card. This service is offered for free.

The telephone numbers of post offices you can find in the blue pages of the telephone directory under “United states Government – US Postal Service”.  
   
There is a post office in every city in US. In larger cities there are a couple of full-service branch post offices and small substations which are usually located in places of business such as drugstores. There are also minimum-service post offices on campuses. But these small ones provide services only in the US territory, international letters and parcels you can send from a full-service post office or branch office off-campus.

In the US post offices usually work Monday through Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., and on Saturday from 8.30 to 12.00. Mail is usually delivered every day but Sunday and national holidays.

You can also rent a lock box to receive mail. The rental charge is relatively small and is different for different cities. You can apply for a P.O. Box in the nearest regular post office. Bring with you any identification document that has your address on it. After you have assigned a P.O. Box, you will be given the combination of the lock. Make sure you have told your correspondents to address letters to your name, PO Box number, station (if needed), city, state, and zip code.

Postal rates are changed at times and these changes are very well advertised and the rate sheets can be obtained from local post offices or you can find the price list at the U.S. Postal Service's web cite.