Zip Code, Post Code

Following is an excerpt from my email on Zip Codes to the National Marrow Donor Program following my unsatisfactory experience with their donor details update web form.

 

Dear National Marrow Donor Program,

One annoying element of being an American living abroad is the local perception that all Americans view the world outside of the continental US as irrelevant.  Unfortunately, this stereotype is often perpetuated by the actions of Americans back home.  Sometimes this is done in large ways, for example by taking a unilateral decision to invade another country.  This really bums out the locals, FYI.  However, it can also be done in smaller ways, for example by providing web forms that allow for foreign countries while requiring a "zip code" and rejecting non numerical values placed in said form.  As it turns out, much of the world refers to this as a "postal code", making use of letters as well as numbers.  Yes it's a novel concept, I know.

I am a willing marrow donor, and a US citizen.  However, I live in London and do not have a numerical zip code, instead I have an alphanumeric postal code.  So, for your benefit I crammed my unacceptable postal code into the city field along with “London”.  No biggie, but just a bit annoying.

Admittedly this is a small thing, but sometimes it's the small things that count!  Please update your web form.

Thank you

Ean Hernandez