studentsineurope

US Global Mail: Get Your Snail Mail from Anywhere

US Global Mail allows you to send only your most important letters and packages to an international address.

There’s no time like the holidays to induce a sense of homesickness, particularly for those student travelers who have been wondering the globe sans family or friends. If you’re stationed in one place you’re likely to have a mail box for your hometown correspondence, but those backpacking or staying on the go lack such an option.

Companies like US Global Mail alleviate that problem. The international mail forwarding services lets you keep a virtual mailbox from which you can select and forward the mail of your choosing. Log in to sift out all the pizza coupons and get your grandmother’s cookies to your hostel in Barcelona, or wherever you happen to be at the moment.

The web site looks a bit corporate, but head straight to the ExpatriateUSA option to get a better understanding of its student travel-friendly service. Then decide whether you want the Premium or Value version of the service. At $15 per month or $150 per year, the Premium service allows you to direct your mail daily, while the Value service ($10/$100) sets up your forwarding in intervals. In other words, Premium allows you to order something immediately while Value makes you wait until your allotted shipping day (though you can choose the speed of delivery from one of  four carriers with either option). Additionally, Premium lets you manipulate your destination while Value leaves you with a fixed international mailbox.

If you can’t be at home for the holidays, mail forwarding can bring a piece of home to you. Browse the company’s web site for more details or to register, taking note that each service requires a three-month commitment.