World Correspondence

Bulgaria

2007-08-28T23:03:00.001-04:00

Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev of Bulgaria became the 56th leader to respond to my request. Wow - it has been over a year and a half since I started this project.

2007-06-15T15:48:00.000-04:00

Myself with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Mayor recently announced plans to build the Museum of African Art on New York's venerable Museum Mile. When completed it will be the only museum in the United States dedicated solely to African art.

Poland

2007-05-28T00:16:00.002-04:00

President Lech Kaczynski of Poland became the 55th world leader to honor my request for an autographed photograph.

My request to the President was sent approximately a year and a half ago. However, it it is always an honor to receive another response and the enclosed apology for the delay is appreciated and readily accepted.

Portugal

2007-04-17T23:31:00.000-04:00

Prime Minister Jose Socrates of Portugal became the 54th leader to honor my request.

I wonder what prompted the Presidencia Do Conselho De Ministros to capitalize the "K" in Brooklyn as BrooKlyn when addressing the correspondence. Is there a deeper meaning perhaps?

Rep. Charlie Rangel

2007-01-21T13:22:00.000-05:00

Myself with Congressman Charlie Rangel January 21, 2007. I had the opportunity to congratulate him on assuming the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee.

A Quiet Genocide

2007-01-07T11:22:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

I have just returned from an extensive trip through Southern Africa. Of the eight countries visited Zimbabwe was by far in the most dire of straits. I am dedicating this space in my blog to spread the word and let people know that there are people suffering on a colossal scale that is nothing short of mind-boggling.

Zimbabwe is a country on it's knees. It's authoritarian leader, President Robert Mugabe, has reduced the country to shambles and lost touch with reality. Referred to by Condi Rice as an "outpost of tyranny" Zimbabwe is a place where human rights are systematically ignored and trampled on. The result is suffering and sacrifice by the people that is beyond belief.

Imagine living in a country where opposition leaders are arrested and brutally beaten, in which torture is commonplace, where the police vicously attack women and children, where elections are rigged, where thugs roam freely, and a place in which ambulances are no longer able to go out to pick up patients because of fuel shortages.

Ox-drawn ambulances are a luxury.

The statistics are, literally, off the charts.

At '34 years' the women of Zimbabwe have the lowest life expectancy in the world (unofficially it may be as low as 30 years). Every fourth child is an orphan; according to the UN "Zimbabwe has the highest number of orphans per capita in the world."

The official annual inflation rate, currently over 1,000% and rising, is also the highest in the world (unofficially it is said to be over 2,000%).

According to UNICEF, "A child dies every 15 minutes due to HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe has registered the fastest rise in child mortality rates in the world; No fewer than one in eight children will die before the age of five.

Eighty percent of the population is unemployed.

Toilet paper is an "unimagined luxury."

An independent free press will soon be all but a distant memory.

Imagine living in a place where it is considered prog ress when the HIV/AIDS infection rate, currently at 18% of the population, is only the fourth worst in the world.

Citing its expense, Zimbabwe has ceased producing passports and the country is no longer connected to the internet. Even world famous Victoria Falls, the largest sheet of falling water in the world, is suffering.

The price for bread and other basics routinely doubles overnight. The International Herald Tribune reports the rural poor have resorted to eating field mice.

Infant children are selling on the streets of Harare, the capital, for the equivalent of forty US cents. Unsold infants are dumped in city drains and sewers. The country is now referred to as the land of dying children.

It is now a place where dying is a luxury.

Welcome to Zimbabwe: Home of the quiet genocide.

I traveled to Zimbabwe to see the suffering first-hand. As an American born and bred in New York City, nothing I ever experienced could ever come close to the suffering currently being imposed on the vast majority of the people in Zimbabwe. As a citizen of the world I felt it was my duty to see for myself how others, in the world's disadvantaged regions, are living wretched and anguished lives.

In our travels we stumbled upon a remote village in Matabeleland in Western-Central Zimbabwe. According to a doctor working in the area, “Children are much smaller than they should be for their age. A child that you think is a healthy two-year-old is probably a very underfed four-year old.”

It was on a very rural and remote stretch of road between Buluwayo and Victoria Falls when we needed to refuel with the jerry cans gasoline we had brought with us from South Africa. Cognizant of the scarcity of fuel and the resulting danger of refueling in public, we ventured a few hundred feet off the main road onto a dirt track extending into the countryside. While emptying our jerry cans of fuel into our gas tank, we realized we had actually entered a well camouflaged village of primitive man-made huts with thatched roofs.

We soon noticed about a dozen children eying us from a distance. The children would cautiously come closer and closer until they were all around us eyes agog. I vividly remember a boy who must have been about seven carry around a boy on his back who could not have been more than 18 months old. I removed a pack of 12 kosher Israeli wafers we had with us and distributed it to the children.

Before long a mother emerged to see what was going on. In the ensuing conversation I had with her she revealed that all they can afford to eat is maize and that even that is in short supply and therefore they are not eating nearly as much as they should. I gave her canned sardines we had brought with us from the states and she was oh so grateful. We exchanged addresses and I gave her 250 Zimbabwean dollars; enough for one international postage stamp. She warned me though that mail delivery to the village is very erratic with deliveries, at best, only made once a month.

I appeal to you, dear reader, let us help these unfortunate souls, let us help the people of this village. Let us prevent the quiet genocide from reaching this village. One of the ways we can help is by sending care pachages directly to Norah Lupahla, the woman I exchanged addresses with in the village. Norah is a teacher at the barely functional Dopota Primary School. Her address is:

Norah Luphala
Dopota Primary School
PO Box 21
Dete
Zimbabwe

Together we can show Norah the world has not forgotten Zimbabwe and it's quiet genocide. Let's act today, and please spread the word so that others may help as well.

Photos are here.

Dopota village

Norah Luphala with a can of American, and kosher, sardines.

Myself handing out Israeli wafers

Distributing more food

My colleague and I with village children in the village kitchen

Undernourished livestock

Villagers

Refueling in front of the village

Roadside vendors

Beit Bridge border crossing going from South Africa into Zimbabwe

Vehicles entering Zimbabwe make sure to bring with them all the fuel they need. We noticed this vehicle about 100 kilometers from the South African border.

A donkey cart

A closed petrol station. We could not find even one petrol station with gasoline.

My visa

Those wishing to visit Zimbabwe may contact me for details on how to do so. However I must caution you that traveling in Zimbabwe is an endeavor fraught with danger. In our travels through Zimbabwe we met no other Americans and only two other tourists. For good reason.

Consider the following report filed by an American ministry operating in Zimbabwe:

Frontline Fellowship has been working in Zimbabwe since 1982. As the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorated, so we increased our activities in that desperately needy country. In recent months, we have distributed many tonnes of emergency relief aid to starving Christians in Zimbabwe. Amidst the state-orchestrated racial hatred, lawlessness and savagery, Frontline mission work in Zimbabwe has become particularly difficult and dangerous.

On one mission trip into Zimbabwe, we were told of a white farm manager of one of the opposition Members of Parliament, who was viciously beaten by Mugabe's thugs, and of an American who was killed while on a relief mission to Zimbabwe. He was shot at a roadblock while seated behind the steering wheel. He remained there, slumped over his steering wheel, for hours, slowly bleeding to death. Although the ZANU-PF officials claimed that he had tried to run through the roadblock, passersby said that that was impossible, because they saw him slumped over in his vehicle, parked at the roadblock, with no indication that the vehicle was moving when he was murdered.

To travel anywhere in Zimbabwe today requires going through numerous roadblocks, which can be manned by police, army, war veterans, ZANU youth brigade or Mugabe's special police, the CIO. Some roadblocks are manned by the North Korean trained 5th Brigade. Food found in vehicles is summarily confiscated. Outside the shops there can be long lines of people, waiting for basic foodstuffs. Even bread and milk are in such short supply that it creates a sensation when any shop has stocks. With great excitement, people run and phone to inform their friends and relatives of the event!

The shortage of petrol is chronic. It is now common to see long lines of unoccupied cars outside petrol stations. These cars can be stuck for many days, or weeks, waiting for some delivery of petrol to the garage. Nor can one bring in extra fuel in jerry cans, as that is illegal and fuel cans are another item searched for at roadblocks. Petrol went up 320% last night.

Papua New Guinea

2006-11-21T23:21:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare of the most linguistically diverse country, Papua New Guinea, became the 53rd world leader to respond to my request. The photograph was hand-autographed.

This correspondence and th e one from Malaysia were the only ones to arrive at my home, all others arrived at my post office box. I never did reveal my home address so I can't quite figure out how they ascertained it. I suppose they have their ways.

The letter indicates my correspondence to them was dated March 31, 2003. In fact, my letter was dated November 28, 2005. Had they been correct, it would have taken them longer than three years to respond!

It is now one year since I started this project, and yet the letters continue to arrive. I can't help but wonder for how much longer they will continue to show up.

India

2006-08-15T21:29:00.000-04:00

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the world's largest democracy, India, became the 52nd world leader to respond to my request. It appears Prime Minister Singh hand-autographed the photograph as well.

What I love about this correspondence is the autographed photograph showing the Prime Minister in his religious headgear. Here in the great melting pot of New York, we have many Sikhs who wear the same or similar headgear and I salute them and the Prime Minister for publicly holding steadfast in their beliefs irrespective of what others may think or do.

Moldova

2006-07-25T21:53:00.000-04:00

President Vladimir Voronin of Moldova became the 51st world leader to honor my request. The correspondence arrived twisted and creased and has the look of an envelope that traveled a great distance.

Unfortunately the letter is in a language I do not know and one I cannot identify. If anyone can translate the letter or at least let us know which language it's written in, it would be greatly appreciated.

What I find to be astounding is that the letters continue to roll in over eight months after I mailed out my requests. What could be the reason? Postal delay? Bureaucracy? Mere inefficiency?

Norway

2006-07-05T22:06:00.000-04:00

Congratulations are due to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway on being the 50th world leader to respond to my request.

Press Release

2006-06-05T00:51:00.000-04:00

http://prweb.com/releases/2006/6/prweb394299.htm#

World Correspondence receives forty nine responses from heads of state and world leaders from around the world.

(PRWEB) June 5, 2006 -- Technological advances have made our world into a global neighborhood. WorldCorrespondence.com is the mailman. Posting signed letters and pictures from heads of state in Haiti, Germany, Korea, Liechtenstein, Finland among many other countries, WorldCorrespondence.com, prodigy of Joel Schmidt, proves that beyond the realm of USA exists a forgotten, sometimes-ignored-by-average-citzens world.

On December 04, 2005, Joel Schmidt began his personal Odyssey by mailing out 208 letters, each one destined to a head of state. His request was simple: a signed picture from each person. The idea was hatched when he first idlely sent off a few letters to various heads of state. Much to Mr. Schmidt's supprise, he recieved replies. Four years later, he began this long awaited project. To date, he has recieved 49 replies.

You may view the entire press release by clicking on the link above.

Haiti

2006-05-13T21:16:00.001-04:00

President Boniface Alexandre of Haiti became the 49th world leader to honor my request. He is also one of the few to personally autograph the photograph.

The enclosed letter, which is in French and bears the raised seal of the President of Haiti, seems to be dated February 23, 2006. The postmark, however, bears the date of April 25, 2006. I can only wonder what took them so long to mail the correspondence...

Also, the correspondence was sent via registered mail and it's unique registed mail number is 988. Could it be that fewer than 1000 pieces of registered mail were recently sent? Do they start counting from this month? This year? This decade?

Lastly, does anyone have any idea what book is on the President's desk?

Slovakia

2006-04-23T13:17:00.000-04:00

Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda of Slovakia became the 48th world leader to honor my request. He also joins the few leaders to personally autograph the photo.

The correspondence was hand-addressed and sent via first class mail.

Jamaica

2006-03-28T11:29:00.000-05:00

Prime Minister Percival James Patterson of Jamaica became the 47th world to hoor my request. As can be seen the enclosed photo was hand-initialed by the Prime Minister himself.

As with the correspondence recieved from other former and current British commonwealths the envelope is marked on Jamaica Government service. I wonder if letters marked 'on government service' are treated differently than ordinary letters.

The envelope was also of the few to actually be 'air mail style' with red and blue markings on the side. If anyone has any idea why the airmail envelope was designed this way and why it is mostly not used anymore please let us know. I'm curious to know about the origins and disuse of this postal tradition.

Mexico

2006-03-28T01:07:00.000-05:00

President Vincente Fox of Mexico became the 46th world leader to respond to my request. The correspondence was sent via registered mail and enclosed in an elaborate folder that included no less than three photographs of the President.

One wonders why the response was so long in coming; after all, the US and Mexico are close neighbors. Whatever the reason may be, I am grateful for the response and glad the correspondence arrived at all.

It's also interesting to note the lengthy return address on the envelope. Perhaps that explains the delayed response as I my envelope to the President was simply addressed President Vincente Fox, Mexico City, Mexico. It would seem corresponding with the President could very well give ordinary Mexicans writers cramp simply from addressing the envelope...

Kyrgyzstan

2006-03-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

President Kurmanbek Bakiev of Kyrgyzstan became the 45th world leader to respond to my request.

The postmark is mostly illegible but it seems to indicate the letter was mailed over three months ago. The enclosed letter was also on a short piece of paper. I wonder if perhaps there is a paper shortage in Kyrgyzstan...

Looking at the stamps you'll see that the biggest and the brightest of the stamps features two men on horseback. As it turns out horsemanship is a national sport that culminates each year with the National Horsemanship Games of Kyrgyzstan.

The stamp to the right features an illustration of the Burana Tower in Tokmok. If you read up on it you'll learn that that it is actually a minaret that was originally almost double as tall until the 15th century when the top 20 meters was lost in an earthquake.

Can anyone help me identify the birds pictured in the other stamps? I want to find out more about them...

Australia

2006-02-28T20:31:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister John Howard of Australia became the 44th world leader to honor my request and one of the few to include a real actual signature.

As you surely know, New York and Australia are practically at opposite ends of the world which could, in part, explain the late response. Australia is, of course, its own continent. Nevertheless, I not only received an apology for the delayed response but was informed that "the Prime Minister was more than happy" to agree to my request.

The apology, though, is not entirely out of place. After all, the postmark indicates the correspondence was only mailed six days ago. Hence geographic distance does not seem to have played a role in the delay. What then was the reason for the delay you ask? Well, the answer to that was conveniently left out of the letter...

The Prime Minister also becomes one of the few leaders to send me his "best wishes." This thought is very kind of him and I appreciate the gesture...

United States of America

2006-02-28T00:08:00.002-05:00

President George W Bush of the United States of America became the 43rd world leader to respond to my request.

The enclosed letter was printed on White House stationary of high grade 100% cotton paper. Overall, it's message conveyed a feeling of warmth and blessing and ended with best wishes from both the President and the First Lady.

Many will notice, that of all the letters I sent out across the world, the one sent to President Bush certainly traveled the least distance. After all, Washington is a mere 230 miles from Brooklyn, New York. However, despite the fact that the letters were mailed out a little under two months ago, due to stringent screening and security procedures, "items sent to the White House often experience a significant delivery delay."

Isn't it ironic that the letter that traveled the least most likely took the longest time to arrive? Its a new world we live in...

Tonga

2006-02-27T21:27:00.002-05:00

King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of the kingdom of Tonga became the 42nd world leader to respond to my letter. More importantly, however, he became the first leader to outright reject my request as a matter of policy.

The letter reads: Thank you for your letter and your interest in Tonga. We regret, however, to inform you that the Palace Office does not distribute stamps or photographs and that it is not customary for his majesty to sign autographs.

I cannot help but wonder why Tonga has such policies and customs. What could be so wrong with a signed photo? Is it a cultural issue? It is especially puzzling considering that Tonga's main source of hard currency is from tourism.

I did notice that while the postmark is mostly illegible, there is an official Tonga government seal in the lower left area of the envelope. This seal has a date with an actual signature. The signature is the same as the one on the envelope and thus we can assume it belongs to the 'Private Secretary to His Majesty'. However, neither the envelope nor the letter gives us this person's name.

For more on Tonga see its Wikipedia entry here.

Rwanda

2006-02-22T16:40:00.001-05:00

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda became the 41st leader to honor my request and one of the few to send me a personally inscribed hand-signed photograph. He is also the first leader to include a gift with the correspondence.

The gift he sent was a beautifully illustrated coffee table book on Rwanda. Though it is in French, it is full of fascinating photographs and will definitely enhance and enrich my personal library. The book's back flap has a wonderful explanation in English as you can see in the scan below. (Those wishing to purchase the book for themselves and/or wish to see the front cover can do so by clicking here.)

The book's title, Rwanda Nziza, is the same as Rwanda's relatively new national anthem and portrays a pleasant side to a country often associated with conflict and genocide. The book itself is heavy and large and the envelope provided for it was woefully inadequate. By the time the parcel arrived it's packaging was in tatters and held in place over the book by a rubber band placed there by the postal service. Nevertheless, I am humbled, Grateful, and extremely pleased to be the recipient of this gift.

I'm not familiar with postal delivery times from Central Africa but from the postmark it is apparent that the correspondence took a full month to arrive from Rwanda. I will therefor assume that my correspondence to President Kagame took a month to arrive to him as well. My point is that we must not be displeased by the late response as, seemingly, it is normal.

However I am curious to know what route the letter took from Rwanda. Are anyone of you familiar with the logistics of international mail delivery? Can you hazard a guess as to which countries the letter passed through before it arrived in the US?

Also, can anyone figure out what book the President is reading in the photo?

Monaco

2006-02-14T19:04:00.002-05:00

Prince Albert II of Monaco became the 40th world leader to honor my request. The correspondence consisted of the envelope and photo only. There was no letter.

Looking at the stamps you'll notice that pictured on each are two images. I first thought they were of the same person, at two different life periods. However, a quick internet search reveals that they are the images of two famous composers, sisters in fact, Nadia and Lili Boulanger. This is the first time I have seen two people pictured on one postage stamp. I wonder how rare this is.

The envelope is also stamped "Service de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco." Does anyone know what the abbreviation S.A.S. stands for?

The photo itself was very nice. The palace in the background was fitting and well placed. Can you tell what time it is in the clock in the background? Did the Prince pose for the photo in the morning or afternoon?

Germany # 2

2006-02-13T18:26:00.000-05:00

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany became the first world leader to send me two responses to my letter. The first response, which arrived over six weeks ago, was a letter thanking me for congratulating her on recently becoming Chancellor. At the time I expressed disappointment that I did not receive a photograph from her.

Well, apparently someone must have alerted her to this site because she went ahead and sent me a photograph which arrived today. The correspondence also included a card that bears her real actual signature.

I would like to publicly thank her for making amends and express my appreciation for her taking my quest seriously.

One more thing: I noticed that the back of the envelope bears a stamp indicating it was made from 100% recycled paper. I admire her for setting an example and conserving our earth's natural resources. She may only be two months into her Chancellor-ship but she is definitely off to a good start...

Malta

2006-02-09T19:27:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of Malta became the 39th world leader to honor my request.

The photograph came enclosed in an elaborate cardboard frame that gives the photo a regal look to it.

The envelope was clearly marked "photos do not bend." Yet, the envelope (and photo) nevertheless was bent so that it could fit into the post office box.

The stamps are nice too. I like the one boasting membership in Rotary International...

Samoa

2006-02-05T01:53:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi of the Independent State of Samoa (not to be confused with American Samoa) became the 38th world leader to honor my request and the first to personally sign the back of the photo instead of signing the front.

He also returned to me the original letter I sent to him. They did add a notation or two on the letter but I could not figure out what they meant to say (the signature was removed by myself). Many have asked to see the letter I sent out to all the world leaders. Well, here it is for your viewing pleasure.

The Samoan postage stamps depict lovely scenery. Though, only one of them has a caption (east coast road)...

You'll recall that my original letter to Samoa was returned by the post office because, apparently, they were unable to identify Samoa as a country. I resent the envelope addressed by it's former name, Western Samoa, and seemingly that went through without a hitch. I would think the post office would be more on top of these things. I would also imagine that most people sending mail to Samoa would have no idea they have to address the letter by the country's former name...

Lebanon

2006-02-01T20:30:00.001-05:00

President General Emile Lahoud of Lebanon became the 37th world leader to honor my request.

The correspondence arrived in a presidential envelope (not shown) which was enclosed in a larger manila envelope. Interestingly, it was actually mailed from within the United States by the Lebanese consulate here in New York. Could they have wanted to save on international postage? If so they would be happy to know that the stamps weren't even canceled by the post office...

Most people in the West believe that Syria essentially controls and dominates Lebanese politics and its leaders. In fact, recently they assasinated the Lebanese Prime Minister because they didn't like the guy. I can't help but wonder if the Syrians had to approve of this correspondence.

El Salvador

2006-01-30T18:39:00.000-05:00

President Elias Antonio Saca of El Salvador became the 36th world leader to honor my request. The photo is hand-signed and contains two inscriptions.

My Spanish is still elementary and so I am having difficulty figuring out what the letter or inscriptions say. As always, translations are graciously accepted.

You'll notice that the format of the envelope is unusual. The address, stamps, seals, and postmarks are in uncommon places. I wonder if all El Salvadoran mail looks this way or maybe it is a unique format limited to presidential mail...

I also noticed that the stamps each carry two value amounts. And one of them is pretty scary looking...

What I found even more interesting was the number 0007493 that is stamped on both the envelope and letter. Is it for recordkeeping? Or perhaps to deter fraud?

Italy

2006-01-28T23:40:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy became the 35th world leader to honor my request.

In diplomatic channels, news sources, and encyclopedia entries Mr Berlusconi is always referred to as Prime Minister. Today's letter and seal, however, seem to refer to him as President. Understandably I'm a bit confused. Is he President or Prime Minister?

Also, the correspondence is entirely in Italian which means that, other for the President bit, I have no inkling what the letter says. The same goes for the message on the photograph. If you understand Italian and are able to translate for us it would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, I have included here a closeup of the presidential stamp as found on the back of the envelope. I though it was interesting...

Vatican City

2006-01-25T21:06:00.000-05:00

Vatican City's Pope Benedict XVI became the 34th world leader to honor my request. The response consisted of an envelope and photo. There was no letter included in the correspondence.

With only 900 residents and at 0.2 square miles big the Vatican is the world's smallest country in both population and size. It therefore seems rather ironic that at the helm of government is one of the worlds most influential leaders. I feel honored and priviliged to have received a response.

What's most interesting about the letter is that it was sent from the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington instead of from the Vatican itself. As much as I try I cannot think of a compelling reason for doing so. It is clear the correspondence did actually originate in Europe because the inside of the envelope is marked with the name and phone number of it's Italian manafacturer.

Could the Vatican have wanted to save on international postage? Or maybe perhaps they had a unique reason for wanting the envelope to arrive in the United States via diplomatic pouch? This is very intriguing.

Greenland

2006-01-25T18:01:00.002-05:00

Prime Minister Hans Ensoken of Greenland became the 33rd world leader to honor my request and one of the few to personally sign the photo.

In the enclosed letter the Prime Minister is referred to merely as Premier. I wonder if that is a preference or just happenstance.

I also wonder about the interesting garb the Prime Minister (or Premier) wears. Clearly it's a cultural or religious thing. If anyone could shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated. (Doesn't it kinda look like a spacesuit?)

Though very much independent, Greenland is technically a Danish territory and not a sovereign nation. It is somewhat anomalous because while Denmark is part of the European Union, Greenland specifically isn't. With a population of only 56,000 it is probably the least populated area, as of yet, to respond to my request.

Truthfully, I must confess that my letter to Greenland, because it is technically not a country, was the only one not included in the original 208 letters dispatched around the world. It only dawned on me a week after I mailed the others when I finished reading this amazing book.

One more thing; Does anyone know the translation for Tusagassiivik? Apparently it's a word in Greenlandic...

Botswana

2006-01-24T21:26:00.001-05:00

President Festus Mogae of Botswana became the 32nd world leader to honor my request and the second leader to respond from Africa.

The letter was sent under lock and key via registered mail and contains many markings. One of the pen markings sections off the front and back of the envelope into four areas and I can't quite figure out why as I have never seen that done before. Other markings seem to indicate the proper postage required and the date the letter arrived at my post office. (I was not able to figure out what "op 031" means...)

Interestingly, the back of the envelope has three postmarks; from the "circulation branch" of the central Botswana post office in Gaborone, a Botswana sorting center, and from my own post office here in Brooklyn.

Also, the return address on the envelope and enclosed letter bear the address "Private Bag 001." Does anyone have any idea what that means?

Lastly, is there any significance to a letter marked "on Botswana government service"?

Cuba

2006-01-23T20:38:00.001-05:00

President Fidel Castro of Cuba became the 31st world leader to honor my request and only the second leader to respond without a photo.

Being that I am not fluent in Spanish I am not quite sure what he did send or what it says. If anyone can help me out here it would be greatly appreciated. Below you'll find a scan of the back of the above.

Cuba is said to be a beautiful country but unfortunately by law I cannot visit. While the embargo also prohibits all economic, commercial, and financial ties, plain letters it seems are allowed. (Restrictions are in place for parcels though.)

Looking at the letter you'll see two postmarks with different dates. The one on the front is dated December 30 while the one on back is dated January 5. The one on back says "Certificado." Could it mean the one on the back is something other than a postmark?

The letter took a while to arrive and I wonder if perhaps it had to go through a third country to be in compliance with the embargo. I would imagine fifteen days is a long time for a country only 90 miles from the US.

One more thing about the postmark I noticed: Why is the month in roman numerals? Is that common practice?

Malaysia

2006-01-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia became the 30th world leader to honor my request. He was kind to add his "best wishes for your signed-photo collection project."

The letter and envelope both bear a return address in the city of Putrajaya. I was under the impression that Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and my letter addressed to the Prime Minister was addressed to him there. As it turns out Putrajaya is actually a brand new city created in the past year from the ground up to serve as the new administrative capital and fortunately my letter was forwarded there.

This was also the first response to be sent via UPS. The letter was addressed to my post office box but somehow someway UPS figured out a street address for me. I appreciate their due diligence but I didn't expect them to have access to post office box rental records. (The letter was actually delivered to a relative last week and only forwarded to me today).

One advantage to the letter being sent via UPS was that I was able to track the package as it made it's way from Malaysia to New York. Doing so reveals that although the return address shows the city of Putrajaya the letter was actually sent from Kuala Lumpur. It also made stops in the Phillipines, Japan, Alaska, and Kentucky before it made it's way to Brooklyn.

Unfortunately the letter, envelope, and picture all arrived ripped. It seems as if the envelope was opened for inspection and the inspector was a bit careless. I wonder if this has anything to do with it.

Guyana

2006-01-19T18:23:00.001-05:00

President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana became the 29th world leader to honor my request and has entered the club of those leaders who have personally signed the photo.

The letter took a while to arrive considering that it was postmarked on the 29th of December. The envelope appeared very wrinkled, perhaps the enclosed paper clip caused it to get stuck in a piece of machinery. Or maybe mail from one of the poorest countries of the world simply takes a long time to arrive. Either way I'm glad to have received the letter. As the famous saying goes "better late than never."

I also noticed that featured on the stamps is the "Egyptian goose." I find that to be very odd because usually countries use their postage stamps to express patriotism or to honor people or items unique to their country. One would not expect a country's postage to honor another country's goose...

(Did anyone else notice it cost $80 to mail the letter?)

Israel

2006-01-18T20:55:00.002-05:00

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel became the 28th world leader to honor my request and the first leader to respond from the Middle East.

Mr Sharon recently had a serious stroke and has been in a coma for the past two weeks or so. My letter should have arrived over a month ago so it's very possible he was aware of my correspondence before he fell ill. Not that it makes much of a difference. Either way, I wish him a full and rapid recovery and hopefully the next news report will report on an improving health condition.

Interestingly, the postmark bears the Hebrew term for Israel's capital; Yerushalayim. Its actually the way it's pronounced in Hebrew transliterated into English. I would have expected them to use the term Jerusalem. I wonder what the Arabic version says...

Micronesia

2006-01-18T19:31:00.000-05:00

President Joseph J Urusemal of the Federated States of Micronesia became the 27th world leader to honor my request. He also became the 3rd leader to personally inscribe my name onto the photo in addition to his actual autograph.

I immediately noticed the US Postal Service zip code on the return address. I couldn't quite make sense of it because, as a sovereign nation, Micronesia should theoretically have it's own postal codes. Additionally the beautiful stamps were clearly Micronesian and not American.

Further investigation revealed that the US and (the former American territory of) Micronesia have entered a Compact of Free Association. Among other things the pact stipulates that postal services in Micronesia are to be provided by the US Postal Service. They even have their own state-like abbreviation of FM.

In fact, up until January 8th of this year all one needed was a 37cent stamp to send a letter to Micronesia. (If only I had known I could have saved 43 cents.)

Does anyone know what the responsibilities of the Micronesian Postal Service are and how they differ from those of the US Postal Service in Micronesia? Additionally are Micronesian postage stamps used exclusively or is US postage used as well? This is all very intriguing...

One more thing; The 'Special Assistant to the President' seemingly forgot to sign the letter...

Luxembourg

2006-01-18T18:29:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg became the 26th world leader to honor my request. He also joins the club of those who have personally signed the photo.

The enclosed card isn't in English. To me it seemed like Spanish but as it turns out it is actually in Luxembourgish. I pride myself in learning new things every day and today I learned about the existence of this language.

I also noticed the postmark includes the number '1000.' I wonder what that signifies. It can't be the zip code because the correct zip code, included in the return address, is L-2910. Does anyone have a clue? (While you're at it what does Grand-Duche mean?)

Lithuania

2006-01-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania became the 25th world leader to honor my request. The signature appears to be a real but I don't know for sure.

They spelled Brooklyn wrong but I don't really mind. My only regret is that they neglected to use my zip code which means the delivery of the letter was delayed. The letter and photo did arrive a bit bent, quite possibly as a result of the additional handling.

There's some writing on the lower left corner of the envelope. It seems to be a European style of handwriting which means it was probably there before the envelope arrived in the US. Does anyone know what that means?

Pasta flavored postage? I don't think so but look at the postmark and decide for yourself. (Yes I know it's probably Lithuanian for postage.)

Trinidad and Tobago

2006-01-17T20:05:00.001-05:00

President Maxwell Richards of Trinidad and Tobago became the 24th world leader to honor my request and the second leader to actually inscribe my name onto the photograph. He also included his own signature and the date.

What I find interesting is that the photo is dated December 15th but the letter is dated December 14th. Also the letter sports a presidential stamp bearing the date December 19th while the envelope was actually postmarked on December 23rd (look very closely). Seemingly, from first stage to last it took over a week and a half.

While reading the letter I had a hard time figuring out some abbreviations. The President is referred to as 'His Excellency Professor George Maxwell Richards, TC., CMT., Ph.D,." Can anyone help me out with the last three abbreviations?

By the way, that stamp is just adorable...

Seychelles

2006-01-12T23:20:00.001-05:00

President James Michel of Seychelles became the 23rd world leader to honor my request. His response is also the first from Africa. I'm as of yet still unsure if the autograph is a real one or one superimposed on the image.

In the letter you'll see they apologize for the delay. Perhaps I should let them know there really is no need for an apology as the letter is definitely not late. In fact, it is early considering it is one of the first letters to arrive from the developing world - where which communication is spotty and mail links few.

It was also nice of him to wish me well in this endeavor.

France

2006-01-11T19:45:00.001-05:00

President Jacques Chirac of France became the 22nd world leader to honor my request.

The photo and correspondence were enclosed in a large, cardboard reinforced, envelope. Interestingly, it was stamped "lettre." I thought that was odd because sually an envelope containing photographs is identified as such so that it receives better care than an ordinary "lettre."

Also, the enclosed letter is in French. Being as I don't know more than three words of the language I can't say I know what it says. Can someone, merci, translate for us?

Brazil

2006-01-11T00:33:00.001-05:00

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva became the 21st world leader to honor my request. Included in the correspondence were the photo and a note in Portuguese. Can anyone translate?

I found the envelope to be intriguing for three reasons;

1) They refer to New York as "Nova Iorque."

2) My name and address were printed on separate labels.

3) It's interesting how they pasted three postage stamps right on top of each other. I can't say I've seen that before...

Finally, I must say I really like the President's tie. It's my style...

Latvia

2006-01-10T20:43:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis of Latvia became the 20th world leader to honor my request and the 7th world leader to personally sign the photo (albeit barely legibly).

The letter took somewhat of a detour before it arrived. Notice the bottom of the envelope is stamped with the wrong zip code. Apparently the automated sorting machines at the USPS have a hard time deciphering foreign handwriting.

Seemingly they were surprised to hear from me as they write "Latvia appreciates and values people of foreign countries showing interest about Latvia." Is it that shocking?

Uncle Sam

2006-01-10T13:46:00.001-05:00

Reuters is reporting that the US Government has been opening up mail from abroad. I wonder if the foreign letters I have been receiving have raised some eyebrows. I gotta admit it does seem odd for a guy from Brooklyn to be receiving all this correspondece from foreign heads of state.

Here's the article:

U.S. can open private mail in terrorism fight
Mon Jan 9, 2006 10:38 PM GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials can open personal mail arriving from abroad as part of the fight against terrorism, and do so when they deem it necessary to protect the country, a Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said on Monday.

News of the little-known practise follows revelations that the government approved eavesdropping on U.S. citizens without judicial oversight after the September 11 attacks, which sparked concern from civil liberties advocates and some lawmakers who called for congressional hearings.

"Customs and Border Protection is charged with making sure that terrorists and terrorists' weapons don't enter the country," said Suzanne Trevino, a spokeswoman for the customs agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

"One of our areas of responsibility is to inspect international mail coming into our country," she said. "We respect privacy and always keep that at the forefront, but at the same time we need to make sure we do our job in keeping U.S. citizens safe."

Customs and Border Protection's web site notes that "all mail originating outside United States Customs territory that is to be delivered inside U.S. Customs territory is subject to Customs examination."

Grant Goodman, an 81-year-old retired University of Kansas history professor, drew attention to the policy after a letter he received from a colleague in the Philippines was opened and resealed by Customs and Border Protection, and only then sent on to him.

He said he was shocked and amazed that the letter -- which he received last month from another retired history professor with whom he has corresponded for 50 years -- had been screened.

"It was a big surprise," Goodman told Reuters. "The public should know that this is being done. Nobody whom I know had any idea that this was going on. And as far as I know, it's never been announced. It's never been revealed that this is being done."

Trevino said she could not comment specifically on Goodman's case because she had not seen the letter and was not sure if it had been examined as he said. She did not say how often officials open mail for security reasons.

The Philippines

2006-01-09T18:43:00.001-05:00

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the the Philippines became the 19th world leader and the second woman to honor my request.

In her letter she writes she "prays for [my] cooperation as we beat the odds towards national development and economic prosperity". I assume she refers to the recent conflicts her country has experienced.

I noticed the postmark was stamped with the slogan "yes for peace". Apparently they are fighting some sort of insurgency. I share their sentiments for peace and wish it upon them and the rest of the world swiftly in our times.

Finland

2006-01-06T14:43:00.000-05:00

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen of Finland became the 18th world leader to honor my request and the 6th world leader to personally sign the photo.

Finland seems to have personalized the letter more than other countries. The envelope was hand addressed and the photo hand signed. There was, however, no letter included in the envelope.

It's amazing how fast the letter arrived. The postage meter indicates it was mailed on January 2nd. Today it is only January 6th.

I also noticed that the postage was paid using a Pitney Bowes postage meter. I find that to be very interesting because Pitney Bowes is a distinctly American company and I had no idea they had a presence abroad. Did you?

Azerbaijan

2006-01-04T22:12:00.001-05:00

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan became the 17th world leader to honor my request.

This letter actually arrived in Brooklyn on December 30th but was misplaced by my local post office. Since it was sent via registered mail I received a slip for it a few days ago but it took all this long for them to find it. Of course the clerk was curious as to what dealings I have with the Azerbaijanis...

The post office also took the liberty of making markings on the envelope. In this case indicating when it was received and when it would be returned if it wasn't picked up. I have still yet to identify the penciled markings though.

These guys have an interesting way of addressing an envelope. The return address is just as prominent as the address. I'm surprised the USPS didn't send it right back to Azerbaijan thinking it was addressed to the President...

One more thing I noticed: Ambassadors are individuals stationed abroad in foreign capitals that act as the official representative of their home country. For example, stationed at the US embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, is the American Ambassador to Azerbaijan. However, based on the letter below it seems as if Azerbaijan actually has an ambassador to itself. This actually seems like a diplomatic anomaly... It would be interesting to know if this person has diplomatic immunity... I wonder if Azerbaijan has an embassy in it's own capital... Do citizens need visas to walk the streets??

Come on, at least chuckle...

Republic of Cyprus

2006-01-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

President Tassos Papadopoulos of the Republic of Cyprus became the 16th world leader to honor my request. Judging from his name this guy must be of Greek heritage. And judging from the envelope he lives in a palace..

Note: The island of Cyprus is divided between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Both lay claim to the entire island and do not recognize each others legitimacy. Of course I sent letters to the leaders of both.

I've always wanted to visit Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. I find it intriguing because it is the world's only remaining militarily divided capital city. Both competing governments claim (a part of) Nicosia as their capital. The capital is split right down the middle and communication and movement between the sides are prohibited. I would love the opportunity to observe this state of affairs...

Austria

2006-01-03T20:46:00.001-05:00

Austria's Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel became the 15th world leader to honor my request and the 5th leader to personally sign the photo.

Did someone sneeze? No? Well, Gezundheit anyway. Not from me, from the Chancellor himself. Take a look at the scan below, it is the reverse side of the autographed photo. I hope he wasn't expecting us to sneeze as soon as we viewed his picture? (he's not that ugly). And of course the "tipps" are in German. I was able to make out the words 'sport' and 'stress.'

Neither the envelope or it's contents mention Austria by name so with the help of my detective cap I deduced that Wein probably means Vienna and by Vienna they probably mean the capital of you know where... (It helped that this guy had the same name as the Chancellor.)

One more thing. Does anyone know what OVP stands for?

Slovenia

2006-01-03T20:19:00.001-05:00

President Janez Drnovesk of Slovenia became the 14th world leader to honor my request.

Notice the envelope and correspondence bear the term 'Urad'. If only I understood Slovene I would probably now what that means... Shucks, that wasn't one of the language options in school...

Hey, I've got a tongue twister for you. Can you pronounce Ljubljana? Can you do it three times fast? You mean you can't? In that case I'll bet you've never been to the capital of Slovenia...

The Netherlands

2005-12-29T20:45:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Dr Jan Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands became the 13th world leader to honor my request. He also becomes the 4th world leader to send a photograph with a real actual signature.

It's interesting that this guy is both a prime minister and a doctor. I guess it's more economical this way since they don't have to hire an executive doctor. I wonder if he's Surgeon General (or head of the health ministry) too. Just kidding

Seriously though, you gotta admire a guy who aspires to become prime minister when he already has a profession under his belt...

Notice the letter originated in the Hague. Its interesting because while Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands the Hague is the administrative capital. You see that, whoever said a country can only have one capital?

Oh and by the way, whatever you do don't refer to the Netherlands as Holland. Holland is merely the name of a province within the Netherlands. Contrary to popular belief Holland is not a country.

Liechtenstein

2005-12-29T20:08:00.001-05:00

Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein became the 12th world leader to honor my request. Apparently he was low on photographs of himself and so he just grabbed one of his wedding pictures.

Jokes aside, I appreciate the uniqueness of the photo. The photograph also has some writing on the bottom it. Look closely and you'll see it. It was written in silver but for some reason the scanner had a hard time picking it up. Its not in English and so I'm not sure what it says.

The Prince is clearly posing with his wife but I'm not sure what her title is. If he is the prince does that mean she the princess? I'm terribly unfamiliar with monarchies and royalty. If anyone has a clue please lend a hand and let us know in the comment section.

Spain

2005-12-29T19:19:00.001-05:00

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain became the 11th world leader to honor my request. He also becomes one of the select few to personally sign the photograph, in this case using a magic marker.

The photo is of high quality and the letter is of high quality paper stock. The letter also sports a raised presidential (or should I say Prime Ministerial?) seal above the words "El Preidente Del Gobierno".

The envelope was interesting too because in actuality it wasn't an envelope but rather a piece of paper glued to the edges of a piece of cardboard. Clearly the cardboard was meant to protect the photo but I can't say I have seen this sort of contraption before. The other letters that came with protective cardboard simply had the cardboard placed within a large envelope.

There's only one problem: The letter is in Spanish and me no habla mucho espanol. If anyone can do us a favor and translate please let us know in the comments section.

Denmark

2005-12-29T18:55:00.001-05:00

Denmark's Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen became the tenth world leader to honor my request.

Ireland

2005-12-28T22:19:00.001-05:00

Ireland's Prime Minister Bertie Ahern became the ninth world leader to respond to my request. Prime Minister Ahern also became the second world leader to personally sign the photo (independently authenticated).

Oops, did I say Prime Minister? I meant Taoiseach. Yep, that's what they are called. The only external marking on the envelope were "from the office of the Taoiseach." I sat there scratching my head for a while trying to figure out what that meant. Save for one place (can you find it?) the correspondence is devoid of the term 'Prime Minister' while it seems 'Taoiseach' is sprinkled around all over the place...

South Korea

2005-12-28T19:34:00.001-05:00

President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea became the eighth world leader to honor my request. Or so I think. His name is not mentioned on either the photo or the envelope.

I wonder what "cheong wa dae" means. Its definitely not President Moo-hyun's name. I'm assuming it means something to the effect of Office of the President.

Its a real elaborate cardboard frame with an extra layer of thin luxurious paper. Its aso a very high quality piece and I'm honored to be the recipient.

The letter was sent under lock and key via Registered Mail. Incidentally, the postal clerk who retrieved the envelope for me, after I presented her with the requisite slip, was from Korea herself and incredulous as to what dealings I have with the President of her native country. She wouldn't stop badgering me with questions...

Germany

2005-12-27T21:31:00.003-05:00

I'm a bit disappointed with Germany. The correspondence lacked a photograph, all I received was a standard card in German. The enclosed letter, too, was in German.

It isn't clear from whom the correspondence is from. I mailed the letters just when Angela Merkel won the elections for Chancellor. I wasn't sure when she would take office so I sent letters to both her and outgoing Chancellor Gerhard Schroder. The signature is difficult to read so it is hard to tell which one of the two sent the correspondence. In any event, it is an honor to receive Germany's response.

New Zealand

2005-12-25T00:56:00.001-05:00

New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark became the sixth world leader to honor my request.

Apparently she's a woman of few words. Enclosed were the photograph and a blank 'with compliments' piece of stationary. The envelope contained no further correspondence.

As with the envelope from Bermuda this envelope had the words "on Her Majesty's service" printed on it. Can anyone elaborate on it's meaning?

Somalia

2005-12-24T23:52:00.002-05:00

Somalia is the only country in the world where there is no government. Last year an interim government was named in nearby Nairobi, Kenya and more recently moved to Jowhar, a town outside Somalia's capital Mogadishu. They have no authority outside this tiny town and get shot at when visiting the capital.

Of course I sent a letter to the interim government in Jowhar but I also sent letters to the breakaway regions of Somaliland and Puntland.

I don't expect a response from either Jowhar or Puntland but I'm holding out hope for Somaliland. Though, because they lack international recognition as a sovereign state, they cannot join the International Postal Union and must instead hire DHL to deliver its mail abroad.

This week's Economist highlighted one of the benefits of having no government. I have uploaded it here for your enjoyment. Enjoy.

United Kingdom

2005-12-23T15:24:00.002-05:00

Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK became the fifth world leader to respond to my request. Its interesting to note that the accompanying note clearly says the signature is a facsimile.

Another interesting tidbit I noticed was that the return address on the envelope says "10 Downing Street' and nothing more. I suppose that when you're one of the worlds most powerful land famous leaders you don't exactly need to give a full address.

Bermuda

2005-12-23T00:13:00.001-05:00

The premier of Bermuda, W. Alexander Scott, became the fourth world leader to honor my request and the first one to personally inscribe my name onto the photograph. The inscription reads: "best wishes Joel from the Premier of Bermuda W. Alex Scott."

Interestingly, printed on the envelope are the words "On Her Majesty's Service." I wonder what that means.

As it turns out Bermuda is actually a possession of the United Kingdom. You would never know that from this correspondence as there is no mention of the UK on the envelope or its contents.

Canada

2005-12-20T19:57:00.001-05:00

Canada's Paul Martin becomes the third world leader to honor my request.

It's interesting that they use the term 'right honourable.' I believe it to be an expression of royalty but I've seen the term thrown around in the UK's House of Commons and as far as I know they are not royalty...

Anyway, it's with pleasure that we welcome our northern neighbor into our club.

Switzerland

2005-12-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

Congratulations are due to President Samuel Schmid of Switzerland for being the first world leader to fully comply with my request and send me an autographed photograph. Under Switzerland's rotating presidency heads of state change annually. I suppose he wanted to get some photos out before he's ousted after the new year.

The envelope had no return address. In fact, the name Switzerland isn't even mentioned. However I quickly put two and two together when I saw his name on the envelope and 'Bern' in the postage area,

Interestingly there was nothing else included in the letter. It was just the envelope and photo. I guess the man doesn't speak much.

Ya know, him and I share a name minus one letter. I wonder if that means I get a Swiss sponsored all expenses paid trip to meet my namesake...

I also noticed that both this envelope and the one from Sweden are stamped 'Priotaire'. I wonder what that means. Is that faster than regular air mail?

Somaliland - Returned to Sender

2005-12-20T02:41:00.001-05:00

This letter to Somaliland was the only one of all 208 letters to be 'returned to sender.' The other two letters returned (Samoa and Palestine) were merely 'returned for better address' and were ultimately delivered. Only Somaliland was denied the opportunity to respond to my request.

The reason is because Somaliland lacks the all-important international recognition needed to be considered a sovereign state by the international community. As such it cannot join the Universal Postal Union and therefore cannot send or receive mail from abroad.

A true shame.

I have so much to say here I don't even know where to begin.

Sweden!

2005-12-20T00:54:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the Prime Minister of Sweden for being the very first world leader to respond to my letters exactly two weeks after they were mailed. He was quick to respond but apparently didn't dwell much on my letter. I requested a autographed photograph. I got the autograph all right but no photo.

Determining the correspondence was from Sweden took some detective work. There was no return address, the stamps are in Swedish, and his autograph is illegible. It was only after reading the note from the clerical officer that I able to figure out the correspondence was from Sweden.

Oh well, we'll have a toast anyway.

Tuva

2005-12-11T19:08:00.001-05:00

The republic of Tuva is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. Referred to as "the remotest place in the world" this obscure land sandwiched between Russia and Mongolia is claimed by Russia, China, and the Tuvans themselves. It is currently under the administrative control of Russia.

Kyzyl, Tuva's capital, was once thought to be the exact geographic center of Asia and a monument to that effect still stands in Kyzl to this day.

Curiously, according to this website Tuva is still at war with Germany Tuva declared war to the German Reich in 1941. As a part of the Soviet Union, it belonged to the winner of the war. But even after the declaration of the independent Republic 1992, there was no time or occasion (or necessity?) to sign a treaty of peace with Germany. Who woulda thunk?

Unfortunately I did not sent a letter to Chairman Sherig-ool Oorzhak as I only recently became aware of the existence of Tuva. As penance I read the fascinating book pictured below and I recommend it highly. It's a mesmerizing read.

For more on Tuva see its Wikipedia entry here. Click here for a Forbes account (and video) of a 2005 Tuva journey.

Samoa

2005-12-11T10:27:00.001-05:00

Update: This was indeed a case of confusion. The letter was not 'returned to sender' but merely 'returned for better address.' You see, the USPS has not yet updated its records to refer to the country as Samoa (as opposed to the former name Western Samoa). Click here for Samoa's response.

This envelope was not stamped with any reason why it was returned. It simply showed up.

Apparently I need to inform the USPS that Samoa is indeed a country. It may be obscure and you may have not heard of it until today but it does exist.

But hey, don't take my word for it, click on the following links and see for yourself:

CIA World Factbook entry on Samoa
A brief history of Samoa
BBC Country Profile
Official Government of Samoa website
Wikipedia
Samoa plans internet for all

Perhaps the USPS confused Samoa with the US territory of American Samoa. Or perhaps the USPS incorrectly still knows the country by it's former name of Western Samoa.

Either way another letter to the Postmaster General is in order and will be prepared as soon as I get a chance.

In the meantime I will resend the envelope addressed to Western Samoa and see what happens.

Palestine

2005-12-11T10:02:00.001-05:00

Although I'm very well aware Palestine is not a country I still went ahead and sent Mahmoud Abbas a letter. Technically Palestine is still a part of Israel. However anyone that follows the news knows they hope to achieve independence in the near future.

I was afraid the Palestinians would have been deeply insulted had I addressed the envelope Ramallah, Israel. Ordinarily the Post Office would do what it can to forward the letter to it's ultimate destination even though the country name may be incorrect or missing.

For example, were one to mail a letter to London, England the letter would certainly be forwarded to the postal authorities of the United Kingdom even though England is technically not a country. The same goes for Holland and various other spots around the world. Basically, the USPS bends over backwards to figure out where the envelope's ultimate destination is and goes ahead and forwards the letter, even in circumstances in which there is no country noted on the envelope.

Over the weekend the letter to Palestine was "returned for better address." In this case it seems that, as an arm of the federal government, the USPS is making a very clear political statement. I don't necessarily agree or disagree with this statement I just find it to be very 'cute'.

When I have a chance I will send a letter to the Postmaster General in Washington asking for some clarification here.

Liftoff

2005-12-04T10:45:00.001-05:00

At 2am this morning all 208 envelopes (I'll explain how I got to that number as I go along) were hand-delivered to the James A. Farley post office in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. As the main post office of the region it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The letters were handed to a supervisor who promised to load them on a truck bound for the international mail sorting facility at John F Kennedy International Airport.

Since the letters were immediately sent to the international sorting facility it is safe to say that at least two days were shaved off the letters' transit time. Had the letters been mailed from Brooklyn they would have sat in the Mailbox until Monday and then would still have to undergo sorting which means they would probably end up at the JFK international mail sorting facility sometime Tuesday or Wednesday.

I attempted to lay out the letters on a table in the post office so that I could photograph them in all their glory. However, I was quickly approached by the postal police and that plan was quickly aborted. Instead I had to settle for photographing the letters as they sat on the postal counter. It may not seem like it but sitting on the counter are all 208 letters.

Personal Confidential

2005-12-01T16:18:00.001-05:00

I really wasn't sure if I should stamp the envelope with "Personal - Confidential." In the end I opted to purchase this stamp and use them on the envelopes. The last thing I want is for the letter to get tossed in the trash at some low-level government office. Optimally, all letters will at a minimum get seen by the leader's secretary. I figured stamping the envelope "Personal - Confidential" would probably ensure the letters get more attention and scrutiny than if it were not stamped.

I also liked the two color scheme. It makes the envelope stand out and look important (which it is - don't let anyone fool you).

Finally, I realize that non-English readers won't know what 'Personal - Confidential' means. Hopefully in this case they will assume the most important and handle the letter with the highest priority.

Each letter was stamped once in the lower left quadrant of the envelope.

This stamp is available commercially online for about $6.

Air Mail or Par Avion?

2005-11-30T09:39:00.000-05:00

Although most letters are automatically sent via air mail it is always a good idea to write 'Air Mail' on the envelope. The international term used is usually 'Par Avion'. However since the mail would be originating in the United States I decided to use 'Air Mail' which is the term used by the US Postal Service.

Nevertheless I still wanted to make it clear to non-english speakers that the letters should be sent via air mail. So I chose a design that incorporated an airplane into the stamp and is displayed alongside the text so that even those who do not know how to read english would get the idea. I also liked this design over the others because of the hollowed text. For some reason I thought it made the stamp more 'official' looking.

Each letter was 'Air Mail' stamped twice.

This stamp is commercially available online and I paid about $7 for it.

My mission

2005-11-29T10:03:00.002-05:00

Ever since I was a child I have always been fascinated with global happenings. This interest in international affairs has taken me on a journey in life. It started off with a pen pal in Osaka, Japan and more recently with various trips abroad.

In grad school I took courses in international business and during a few lectures I scribbled some sort of a letter to the leaders of a handful of countries and dropped them in the mail. I didn't think twice about them until I started receiving photographs and letters from kings, presidents, and prime ministers from around the world.

Since then I have always wanted to properly pull off a project by which I would correspond with each of the 200+ world leaders. I would compliment them on a fine job well done and request an autographed photo of themselves.

I'm happy to report that I have finally embarked on this long-awaited project. I'm in the process of putting the letters together and will use this space to record each and every step of the process.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy!