My personal take on that:
I see NO PROBLEM at all in saying / writing something along the lines of: “Sorry, I can not make out / read your name.”
Followed optionally by “Would you mind telling me (again)?” or “Is it possible your name is XYZ(?), if not, please correct me.” [or similar]
I don’t see why it should be (so very) embarrassing.
In fact if it hadn’t been for one of the very first recipients of my Postcrossing postcards letting me kindly know that my name was difficult to decipher due to the postal lines of USPS, I would maybe still not have found out that I should try to avoid writing (my name) on the far bottom of the postcard.
And on a related note:
Whenever I receive Hurray messages that start without my name, I wonder if I either have written “under postal lines” again or too narrow / squeezed / unreadable or whether the recipient might not have liked my postcard and / or my message.
Luckily throughout the rest of the message, I sometimes can rule out at least the last option.
Just this morning I realized I had put at least two postcards to family without an address in the box yesterday. I am holding out a small hope the mail carrier will realize it, know that I am the one always sending the postcards, and put them back in my box
On the note of Hurray messages, I haven’t been starting them with the person’s name at all…maybe I’m too casual…well, I’m just getting started. Lots to learn.
I have learned I right my h’s with a very short top, and look more like n’s. I’ve gotten quite a few Hi Lean instead of Hi Leah. Ha! Now I exagerate my h’s. I was never offended, so i say dont be embarrassed by not getting the name right. Thats part of the process!
I just did that today . It was my worst fear since I started and then I fudged it completely. It wasn’t a similar name at all but I wasn’t able to understand the cursive without my glasses.
Happened to me recently.
We have 4 different fees in Spain to send mail.
I tried to memorize the special countries that are part of the Fee D (2,10€), those countries are USA, Canada, Russia, New Zealand, Australia and Japan… and no idea why I put China, Taiwan, Malaysia in the same list, and no, they are in a different fee that is cheaper (1,75€).
However, that was me, sending cards to China and other asian countries with extra postage
This week i made a card put stamp on it realised I hadn’t taken photo so didn’t post it. Went home to take photo and the card had gone somewhere in Manchester City centre.
So I wrote another posted it on way to work. Then I got a Hurrah message for the first one. It was within UK so not to bad to pay extra postage. Second one will arrive.
We live and learn.
A couple of years ago, my husband always took the written cards and throw them in the post box on his way to the train station. I received one a Hurray message: “thank you for the beautiful card, but you did not write anything, only the ID number. Why???” So I apologized, asked my husband: he saw a card with address and stamp, so he took it and brought it to the post box… like always… I just did not have the time to write it. I supposed I trained my husband too good!
One day at post office while collecting my mails I saw a card edge where I saw my address label I was confused seeing it and tried to ascertain the reason for the same then I noticed that the recipient is not shown was funny. More funniest part of it was while stamping the card the peon also failed to notice it that the card routed to mail service and returned after three days. I prepared a card afresh and sent
I had one very random interpretation of my name from a recipient in China. It made me die laughing because it was just such a hilarious interpretation! But also, I appreciated very much that she had made an effort. Also, it taught me to write my name more clearly.
Absolutely no offence meant or taken and I learned something - what’s not to like?! I think most people are fine and understand these things. But, if in doubt, I don’t attempt the name either!!
One has to be allowed to TRY OUT stuff (AND make mistakes) – how else is one supposed to learn… (?)
And by trying to read (unfamiliar) handwriting / names / languages (on postcards that have traveled for days, weeks and months and look accordingly) one is not actually trying to “mock / make fun of someones name” but rather trying to get closer by making an effort to try and understand – at least that’s how I view it…
Once in Ksamil, Albania
Was sending one more postcard by travelling mode and we looked at Google for the post office opening time.
We got there and, despite it saying it was open it was actually closed.
So i put the card under the door with the money and it still got sent!
Pretry good from Albanian post eh