Ever since I started writing to my first pen pal for a class project in second grade I have been fascinated with the idea of corresponding with complete strangers. So, it’s no wonder I was delighted when I came across this fun experiment online called Postcrossing.

postcard by hidenseek.etsy.com

The goal of the Postcrossing Project is to allow people to receive postcards from all over the world, for the cost of a postage stamp. The premise is that if you send a postcard, you will receive at least one back from a random Postcrosser from somewhere in the world.

Why would you want to send and receive a postcard from a complete stranger, you ask? Like me there are lots of people who enjoy receiving real mail. Bills are pretty much the only items that arrive in my mailbox these days so I thought it would be a nice surprise to receive a postcard from a random place in the world every once in awhile.

postcard by vozamer.etsy.com

How does it work? First you must register on the Postcrossing website and request an address and postcard I.D. It is totally FREE. Then you mail the postcard (note: it costs $0.98 to send a postcard to Europe and Asia, a fact I did not know until I went to the post office to send my postcards) and wait to receive a postcard from someone else. When you receive a postcard you register it on the website and begin the process all over again.

postcard by imbuty.etsy.com

I decided to try Postcrossing a couple weeks ago. I sent 5 postcards to 4 different European countries and one to Oregon. The woman in Oregon already received my card and registered it on the site. She even sent me a nice thank you message through the site and offered to send me a postcard also. So fun!