Participate in PostCrossing

It’s still nice to connect with people somewhere else in the world, but I’m not as excited about PostCrossing as I was at first. I called it done and frustratedly put “Not Worth It,” but I felt bad every time I saw that, so I think it IS “Worth Doing,” but be prepared to go without the variety you may be hoping for.

It occurred to me that no matter how many times they make me send cards to Finland, I should be getting cards from all around the world, but I’m not. The cards only come from Germany, and while I’m glad there are so many English-speaking folks in Germany (it may come in handy if I ever want to go there), I have enough cutesy German flower stamps.

I joined PostCrossing because I thought it would be fun to get cards (and stamps!) from all over the world. Maybe some people do, but it doesn’t seem to be worth paying 90¢ a pop to get cards from the same place over and over.

All but one of my postcards (to and from) have been from Finland or Germany. I know why. It’s because those 2 countries and the US are the top 3 participators in PostCrossing, but I’m a little fed up. I don’t want to play anymore if there is no variety.

I’ll give it a couple more chances, but it looks like I’m really close to calling this one done.

I haven’t signed up to do this recently, but I’ve gotten two more cards, both from Germany. I need to register them and get going again. I wonder what postage has gone up to….

SENT: 2. Another one to Finland and one to a kid in Germany.

RECEIVED: 2. The one from Brazil came on May 12th. It only took 5 days to get to the States. I can’t read the postmark on the one from Germany, but it seems pretty fast.

TOTAL COUNT: 3 sent, 2 received.

I didn’t have any idea that international postcards cost 75¢ each! Or that my very first “penpal” would be so demanding. He wants poems.

Well, I happen to be very good at poems, so this afternoon I wrote one about something I love, which will tell him a little about me, as well as the place the card is coming from.

Here it is:

The western sky blazes
With orange and pink.
I bid farewell to
The sun and I think,
There is nowhere else
On the whole of Earth
Where the sunsets are lovely
As the place of my birth.

Arizona has deserts,
Mountains, beaches, and snow.
Saguaro cacti choose
Only this place to grow.
There’s more shoreline
Than the California coast.
No wonder I love
Arizona the most.

And of course, the postcard is a picture of a gorgeous Arizona sunset!