While I respect this position, every city is different. Where I am, in Brooklyn, NY, my local post office is a hot mess and during COVID, which has been especially bad here, the thought of spending even an additional few minutes waiting on those lines is just not worth the health risk. It's nothing other than that. I have shipped to Europe a few times as favors for PCF members but it always ends up being a drag. Shitty situation but the terms (at least this year) have been dictated by forces much larger than our personal preferences.