There's something about snail mail

Two of my professors told me stories. While they were studying Masters in Japan, they used to send snail mails to their respective girlfriends (who are now their wives). Isn't that beautiful? I'm so amazed that they were able to sustain a long-distance relationship with SNAIL MAIL. I can't even imagine that! These days, even with cellphones, e-mail, Facebook, Skype and whatnot, there aren't many people who can sustain long-distance relationships.

Sometimes, I wish I had someone to exchange snail mails with like what my professors used to do. But I don't. So recently, I joined a website called postcrossing.

It's a community where you can send a postcard to a stranger in the world and then you receive a postcard from another stranger in the world. I learned about this through my orgmate, Ate Raine (who, last October, sent me a handmade postcard). I joined this community because I like the surprise of getting old-fashioned snail mails and learning new things about the world. I also like buying postcards when I travel because I think it would make a good collection and of course, postcrossing would really help with the collecting.  

National Palace Museum (bought during the September 2011 Taiwan trip)

bought from Taipei 101 observatory

also from Taipei 101 observatory

bought during the January 2012 Taiwan trip

Postcard set I bought in Asakusa in Tokyo

Some people think I'm weird for doing this since there's already the internet which can send things in a few seconds. But meh, they probably just don't understand the beauty of getting tangible snail mail that travelled across the world.

So far, after more than a month of postcrossing, I've sent out eight postcards (to Europe, Russia and China) and received one (from Kenya). I hope that by doing this, I'm helping our post office and our country's tourism. After all, the postcards I send always show beautiful places here in the Philippines.

postcard received from Kenya via postcrossing

Anyone is free to join postcrossing.com! So if you find enjoyment in writing to strangers and in getting snail mail, you should sign up too!

Here in the Philippines, sending a postcard to anywhere in the world only costs PhP13.00. Just be wary about the size of your postcard. Sometimes, the post office staff charges a lot more when your postcard is slightly bigger than normal (it's not really how it should be... but you know how our country and our post office rolls). 

Fontana di Trevi (from my brother's trip to Rome) I asked him for a Trevi Fountain postcard because he's too kuripot to buy me pasalubong. Haha.

Colosseo (also from my brother)

St. Peter's Square (also from my brother)

Aside from postcrossing, I've also been sending out mail to friends (whether here in the Philippines or in other countries). Their reactions are lovely when they receive the mail. Sending mail within Metro Manila only costs PhP7.00! Check Philpost. Wouldn't it be nice to brighten up a friend's day with just a few pesos?