PostCrossing.com - Worldwide Postcard Exchange

PostCrossing is trying to bring back the joys of paper mail with its throwback service hearkening to the days of global pen pals. The idea is both neat and extremely simple. Everyone likes to get mail, the real deal, but unfortunately, it’s usually only your inbox that’s overflowing with goods. With PostCrossing you’re guaranteed a postcard from some exotic locale in the world, provided you send one first. To get started, you’ll need to put in an address request so you’ll have someone to send a postcard to. You will then receive the address by email plus a postcard ID. The ID must be written on the postcard you send so that the recipient can register it on the website, making you next in line to receive a postcard. You can write to up to five people at once time. Currently, there are 40,444 registered in 167 countries. Finland seems to have the most participants. Check out more stats on the site.

“The goal of this project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for free. Well, almost. The main line is: if you send a postcard, you'll receive at least one back, from a random postcrosser somewhere in the world.

Why? Because, like the author, there are lots of people who like to receive stuff by mail. If you add to that, the surprise factor of receiving postcards from different places in the world that you probably never heard about, you can turn your mailbox into a little surprise box.”

Who doesn’t like paper mail, especially postcards? This site brings a little global intrigue into your daily life. It’s exciting to know that you’ll be getting a postcard from somewhere on this earth. You could easily make new friends and connections.

What happens if you’re postcard never makes it? What about language barriers? What happens if the recipient forgets or neglects to register the postcard ID?