The Postcard Crossing Project
A site which gave a new meaning to sending postcards!
What is Postcrossing? Postcrossing is a web site, where you can connect to people and places allover the world with the help of postcards. If you do not have enough money and cannot afford vacations on some exotic place, this is just the thing for you. This way, you can easily discover a piece of the world that usually escaped you.
Portuguese Paulo Magalhães is the creator of the Postcrossing that we know today. Paulo, as a student (and now, even though he is older), always loved to get postcards from family and friends. He knew that a lot of people in this world thought the same as him, but he was not sure how to connect them all so they could exchange postcards. Paulo got an idea to relocate sending of postcards from real to a virtual world. With that plan in mind, he started to make a virtual look of Postcrossing in his free time. His goal was to connect people all over the world through postcards no matter the age, gender, location and all other factors that usually prevents us from socializing with other people. Together with a lifelong friend Ana Campos, the designer of the logo, he presented Postcrossing to the world wide web on June 14th 2005.
At first, Paulo only told his family and friends about the site, hoping that someone would be interested enough to exchange postcards that way. He had never imagined that the response would be so big. It took only a few days for people from all parts of the world to join the site and it had grown from there on. It quickly surpassed Paulo's best expectations. When asked about what he expects from the site in the future, Paulo answered that he hopes Postcrossing continues to reach and connect even more people from all countries around the world and make the world itself a happier place, because each postcard is received with a smile.
I have been a member of Postcrossing for a while. I had sent and received around 400 postcards. People often ask me why this site, why postcards. Well, postcards are personal. They are tangible objects that you can admire and touch. I always feel very special about receiving one. E-mails are great for quick and efficient communication, but to me, they always feel so distant, cold and so easily disposable. Just with one click of a mouse. Just think about it! Someone, a person you do not know, took the time to pick out a perfect postcard, write something nice on it, put on a beautiful stamp and send it. Then this postcard traveled a long way, sometimes even more than 9,000 km, exchanged so many hands, just to reach you. I say, and I bet some of you agree, that this is very special.
When I first told my family and friends that I am a member of the site, they just looked at me weirdly and asked 'What about the security? You just gave your address like that? These are strangers after all' Security is great at Postcrossing. Even if they look at your profile, random strangers do not get to see your address, unless they receive it to send you a postcard. For a site like that, excellent security is provided. As for strangers, for me, getting a postcard from a person I never knew (and probably never will) is part of what makes it so special. It is a surprise and I love surprises. You never know where the postcard will come from. USA, Canada, Albania, Germany, perhaps Australia or China? Postcrossing is just to diverse and full of variety. With it, you can learn, because you may even receive a postcard from a country you never heard of before. I certainly did! I treasure each postcard I had gotten. I even put them on the wall of my bedroom and study. Whenever I am sad, depressed or need a little pick-me-up, I just take a look at many colourful postcards and my spirit lifts.
My mother once asked me what do I write on a postcard to a total stranger. The answer is; anything I want. I usually write 'hi' in my language and some others that I know. Then I briefly introduce myself with my first name, age and what I study at university. If I will send a postcard overseas, I usually tell a few things about my country (location, capital, customs, etc.). I end with the brief description of what is on the postcard and a goodbye in my language. Sometimes, when I feel especially jubilant, I even make a few doodles on the sides.
So far, it has been an unforgettable experience for me and I hope to continue it for many years to come. If you want to join Postcrossing after reading this article, here are the steps to do it.
Note: If you're underage, get your parent's permission before joining Postcrossing.
1. Register at Postcrossing.
2. Get an address from the site.
3. Buy a postcard, write something nice on it and send it off.
4. Wait until your postcard is registered and to receive one from another random user.
5. Register the received postcard into the system.
Those are just basic steps how to manage the site, but you can read more on Postcrossing's official site. Do not worry about not getting a postcard. Once your first sent card is registered, you are automatically added to the lottery system.
For the conclusion of my article, here are some of my favourite postcards.
This is the first postcard I have ever gotten. It is from the Netherlands.
My absolute favourite postcard so far, a nightview from Finland.
Wonderful piece of heaven in Spain.
Harry Potter postcard from Japan.
River Kwai and Thailand.
German skiing resort, which I visit often, so I was excited to get a postcard from there.