An abundance of the ‘Helping Spirit'
Wednesday 1 December 2010
Since the 18th century, fishermen, travellers and merchants who have sailed through the Galápagos Islands have been stopping at Floreana. On the beach of this island stands a wooden barrel that serves as an international post office.
No stamps, no workers, no rules. Just an honour system by which everyone understands that once a letter is dropped into the barrel; every visitor thereafter will check the barrel’s contents for correspondence that’s headed in their direction. If it is, it travels with that visitor until it is either delivered or posted near its final destination. Though this system can take longer than any other, the letters have always made it to where they were going.
Even in today’s high-tech, fast-paced, multi-connected world, the barrel is still in service on Floreana. Some cards reach their destinations in days, while others take months to arrive. Yet no matter where the recipients are located, the system continues to work as it has for centuries – dependent on the kindness of strangers.
Of course, part of the barrel’s attraction today is simply its novelty. But another part is the sense of connectedness and responsibility visitors feel toward one another. They become part of a unique community that’s based on helping people.
And there lies the newest challenge facing the Galápagos post office: There are more visitors who want to help than there is mail for them to help with.
Adapted from Seth Godin’s Blog