No I don’t and didn’t. Thank you for making me look at that.
You are correct. Thanks for responding.
Enable your own country, then you get addresses from at least one more country.
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Well, I really don’t know how I would change it. I’m frustrated is all because I want to learn more about other countries not the top 5 which I already know. Maybe postcrossing needs to do a little more advertising in the little known countries? I do tell people about this organization & many think its too expensive. Thank you for responding.
It is not like a flight for mail only. As I understand it, Kazakhstan only sent us mail via the direct flights from one of the Kazakh cities (not sure which: Alma-Aty or Astana, or both, or some other city) to Kyiv, like you know, there are also passengers in it. As for Ukraine, we might as well hace used the flight for sending to Kazakhstan, but after Fabruary, 24th there is no point in making Kyiv a distribution center, cities by the European borders are better suited for this right now. Most surely UkrPoshta mails to the neighboring countries by trains or trucks, after that these countries’ posts send it futher.
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I know my own country very well and have traveled to all 50 states & several territories. 86 countries and I thirst for more than the top 5 or 6! No offense to Germany.
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Haha! Jordan. Lucky you!! Gues what happened the other day? I received a postcard from KZ, then realized it was addressed to someone in College Station, Texas. I live in Maryland. What are the odds of that happening and I happen to be a postcrossing member? Wow! Well, I have forwarded that postcard with great disappointment. 
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I once got a beautiful postcard from the Bahamas with a very nice colourful stamp and everything. It was for my downstairs neighbour from his parents…
Would it help you to think of the recipients as interesting individuals rather than representatives of their country? I find that my cards go to people and not countries.
If you want to collect particular countries I would recommend the swaps section on the forum.
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Well, when the top5 countries have sent more than half of the all Postcrossing cards ever source and they still are the most active countries, it’s kinda obvious we get mostly the same countries all the time.
I have noticed that when I keep all my slots used, I get more variety. I have never had more than 6 cards going to same country. So after Finland haven’t delivered post to Russia, my travelling cards have been mostly 6 to Germany, 6 to US, 2 to Netherlands, UK and Japan and 5 to different random countries.
Maybe try private swaps if you’re eager to get more of those rare countries? 
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You do not write to countries, but to people. And even Americans are not all the same, I suppose. 
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I guess that depends on where you receive from rather than where you send to?
They tried actually but the result was thaf nothing changed. Many countries simply don’t have postal culture and people are not interested. Or postage is expensive, like you mentioned, and thus people are not interested.
I am sorry you had a bad day and feel frustrated. Sometimes there is a lot going on in life and 3 cards to Germany in a row can be the last drop. However, I am afraid that nothing can be done at the moment. Once China starts delivering foreign mail and Russia stops the war in Ukraine, you will have two more countries to send to (I believe you can’t send to Russia from the USA at the moment, right?). I honestly don’t think the variety you get is bad at all but if you want more, you can always arrange directs swaps. That’s the best solution I can see now.
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I’m still very new to this and at first when I realised some countries were far more likely to be received/sent to I wondered whether that would impact on my enjoyment. Even just a few sent/received postcards has shown me I had no need to worry - its the people that matter and I love that I can connect and learn with all these different people while finding out about where they live, the regions, things of very local significance. Then if a new country turns up its an added bonus.
If it is having more countries that is important to you then maybe you would enjoy some of the forum activities where you could request/send a bit more specifically?
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I think there’s a big difference between, well, being excited to get a not-so-common country, as we all are, and losing the enjoyment because of so much Germany. If the latter is the case, then postcrossing official is not for you and as others have said, you can just arrange swaps with more countries. Because I can promise, Germany (and the USA for those who send to it) is never going to go away 
Though I have to admit I switched off repeated countries because I can’t send to Russia so it’s literally only Germany and USA. I got two addresses without repeated countries but I might put it back on again because I feel guilty and greedy when I don’t have it on 
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Ugh. I hope not very many people think this way. I am from a common country, and I would hate to think that cards from me are a disappointment, even though I am a unique person with my own story to tell.
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@jaenelle
Well said!
I have not sent so many cards yet and most of my cards are going to the USA and Russia. Honestly I never wasted a thought about it and for sure I do not feel disappointed to send to and to get from that countries again and again. There are so many different areas and states in both countries and most important of all, each person behind an address or a postcard is unique.
I’m active here in the forum and have exchanged so many beautiful cards with wonderful people from many different countries. And even in the forum I write cards to the USA and Russia because country is not important for me.
I like it both, official and forum postcards.
@teacher1traveler
I’m sorry for saying that but if your hobby makes you feel disappointed it might be better for you to take a little break.
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absolutely this. a hobby should just be that. a fun thing you like to do in your free time.
and personally i rather have to send 25 cards to germany or russia with great profiles than one to a very picky person in iceland.
also technically. the less you send to a rare country, the bigger the chances are you receive from one.
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That is actually a great point, Germany, the USA and Russia (quoting all the big 3 here) are enormous countries, so there is a lot of diversity just within them. Well okay Germany is pretty small compared to the other two, but still has a large population and a great variety of regions. We’re still not talking of a tiny place.
I took small breaks sometimes when I wasn’t having fun (due to receiving cards with barely any message or care in them), there’s nothing wrong with it, in fact it’s great that we can participate as much or as little as we want.
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Does the algorithm look at which countries you sent to?
no, i don’t think so. but you can not receive and send to the same person. so if i have to send a card to, let’s say, someone in south africa, that person can’t send an official card to me. and because there are only a few active postcrossers in south africa, it makes chances smaller i’ll receive a card from that country.
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I send and receive within my own country AND I have on repeated countries as well, so most of my cards go to the US and Germany right now. Everyone is a unique person, so each card sent and received is a treat 
Right now the divisiveness in the US makes me appreciate cards from other Americans in a new way…
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