address labels

[toby]

It seems a trivial issue, I know, but my wife needs to include 8 peel-off address labels with our address written in Chinese. Try as we might, we cannot find address labels anywhere in China. The only Internet sources are wholesalers who want to sell labels by the carton -- while we need only a paltry 8.

Has anyone solved this problem before?

 

[mitamata]

I have no experience with this (first I've heard of it), but couldn't you just get some white stickers and print the address on them yourself? Or, if you don't have a printer, write the address on them? I don't think they would care how professional looking they are, they just need something that can stick on a letter they want to send to you.

 

[Suin]

I totally agree with mitamata. Have you thought about doing them yourself?

 

[toby]

I wasn't clear.

You are right, we need the blank peel-off labels, and my wife will write the Chinese address on them. It's the peel-off labels we cannot find in small quantities.

 

[NYCtoNB]

couldn't you just go to staples and mail them to her?

 

[toby]

I could it I could FIND a Staples in China. There is supposedly one in Beijing but try as I might I can't get any contact information on it.

If I search for stationery stores in China on Google, I get a list of wholesalers, and only two of tewnty-five have address labels -- by the box (not by the sheet).

 

[ariell]

Well it doesn't specifically say they need to be peel off address labels. It just says 8 address labels. Have you tried asking at an internet cafe? They might have some. Otherwise, if you have no other option, why don't you just print/write out 8 copies of her address on a sheet of paper, cut them out and send those in. They must have tape or glue to affix it. Otherwise, send some with your application(???)

 

[toby]

Now that's cute. I had -- for want of the peel-off label -- printed 8 addresses on a single sheet of paper. I hadn't thought of cutting them up into address-size labels, but if that will reduce waiting time by a month or two, I'll do it.

Include a tube of glue with the application? Why not? And while I'm at it, a bottle of single-malt scotch to make the approval process go even more smoothly!!!

 

[NYCtoNB]

i didn't realize you were in china i thought your wife was

what if the person who processes your file likes vodka?

 

[toby]

In hindsight, I realize I would have done better to explain my situation briefly (in this case that I am residing with my wife in China and havng difficulty finding peel-off address labels) before asking the question how to solve the problem. That would have preempted a number of answers that supposed I was in Canada, with easy access to a Staples or other stationery store.

I will do better next time.

By the way, this small detail is one measure among many of just how easy life is in Canada, compared to other countries like China and Costa Rica. If only the climate were better!!

 

[toby]

Today ... mysteriously ... some peel-off labels were delivered to the door. My smart wife (who is off in the interior of China getting a police report in her home town -- no central registry here in China) must have found them where I could not. Mind you, the labels are tiny, and I have spent the last hour trying to follow the directions, wasting lots of trial prints trying to line up text with labels. No success so far.

Maybe -- just maybe -- I am computer and Internet challenged?

Anyway, thanks to those who went to the trouble of making suggestions. And to he who suggested I send along a bottle of Scotch to mak approval process flow more smoothly ... wait, that was me. Never mind.

 

[ariell]

Well that's good news!

Can't you just write the address by hand rather than trying to deal with lining things up for the computer?

 

[toby]

Not me; I can't write addresses in Chinese, but yes, my wife will upon her return. Much easier than strugglng with the computer formats.

It was more the challenge of trying to follow the instructions, seeing that they didn;t work, trying to see where the instructions were wrong, then -- voila!! -- an hour had passed. The simpler way (handwriting) is the better way in this case.

Thanks, Ariell, for your helpful suggestions.

Toby

 

[Suin]

congratulations with your problem being solved! really good news. and good luck with your process.