How to Contact Me

Here are a few tips on the best ways to contact me and communicate with me. I have limited space right now, so please do NOT send packages until after August 15th. I would love letters, texts, etc right now though! I am fairly busy, so do not expect immediate responses. And this is Tanzania, so things tend to be very inconsistent...

Letters

-Postage to Tanzania $1.05 (go inside a USPS office to get the postage stamp)

-Always write "Airmail" on the envelope

Packages

-Print the address in red ink (not sure why).

-Address the envelope to "Sister Aly Hite” and write “God is watching”, “Jesus loves you”, or other religious phrases/signs.

-Cushioned envelopes are better to use than boxes. If boxes are used, I know it is about $60 to send the largest USPS flat rate box (up to 20 pounds). So pack it full! I really don’t need a lot of things presently though, so please save boxes for holidays or special requests!

-When declaring value and contents, do not declare more than $10 as it will have a hefty customs fee assessed that I will have to pay! To avoid "searching" of the package, declare contents as "Educational Materials" or "Religious Materials"

-Don't claim value or claim very little on the packages.

-Care packages can be written off in your taxes...that's a pretty good excuse to send me something...

-Keep your tracking number (this way you can let me know for sure when the package has arrived in country and through customs)

-It can take time to send mail (2-4 weeks minimum), so far the average is 3-4 weeks.

-Number letters so both you and I will know if a letter has gone missing

-Don't use DHL, it is a pain for me to get mail that way.

Aerograms (found at the post office) rule. Postcards drool.

-Anything of value, place inside a tampon box, so it is hidden from view.

-On the inside flap of a box write the contents of the box. If trying to hide something (like in a tampon box) don’t write that on the “inventory list”. Also, if there are things of minor value, write used. Like, “used calculator”. This helps avoid theft.

To Call

-Keep in mind that there is a 10 hour time difference between California and Tanzania. There is a clock in the top right corner of my blog that you can refer to. I usually wake up around 6am and go to sleep by 10pm. Maybe text me first to see if I am available. There is no voicemail, so if I don’t answer, I’m busy.

-It will charge you over $2 per minute to call from your cell phone, so do NOT do that.

-Skype is 27 cents per minute (I think)…You will need to add credit to your account. Your computer will “call” my phone, so there is no video.

-International calling cards are available too. Not sure how they work, but I think it is pretty easy to set up. My parents got one that charges 13 cents per minute.

To Text

-Skype provides international texting for 10 cents per text.

-I think if you text from your cell phone (AT&T, Verizon, etc) it is about 25 cents per text.

-Try a Google search: “free international texts” and see if there is any other way

Emails

-My Kindle works for me to check email frequently. It is hard to type a lot on it though, so expect short replies or a delayed reply.

Skype

-Not sure how often I’ll be on Skype, but you can send me messages that I can view when I log in. Also, if you do want to do a video chat, we can plan a date and time that will (hopefully) work.