Meetups Guidelines: feedback welcome!

:+1:

Then I think we mostly agree?

I think the issue with someone bringing an unreasonable amount of postcards for others to sign is a valid one. But, that doesn’t get necessarily get fixed through limiting to the host the rights to do a meetup postcard.

The problem can just as well happen by someone who simply brings their entire collection of blank cards from home to get signed (and we all know how large that can be! :sweat_smile:) which creates the same problem that way. Limiting who can design the meetup postcards doesn’t address that.

I think Mary, Sally and Joe are probably brilliant postcrossers, but that Paolo guy and his 200 postcards looks like a pain for everyone — I think you should report him. :innocent:

Now, more seriously, I understand the concern. But I also think we are in fact already addressing exactly that with this part of the Meetups Guidelines:

  • It’s fine to write some postcards during the meetup, but please try to limit the number of postcards you ask others to sign: allow postcrossers time to chat and be social as well.

This gives the host legitimacy to, for example, put a reasonable cap on the number of postcards people request everyone else to sign (either explicitly or by how you frame the event goals/agenda), minimizing the chance of things going crazy with the amount of postcards being signed. It also gives participants the right/legitimacy to say no if they are requested to sign an ungodly amount of postcards that they don’t really want to.

Morevoer, a host can also frame the meeting goals (or the events taking place) in such a way that the emphasis is more on being social — if that’s the goal. If the schedule says there’s a visit to a museum followed by a meal at 1-2pm, and then a boat tour along the river — that also minimizes the chance of someone requesting others to sign too many postcards they don’t want to.

The Meetups Guidelines don’t invalidate online gatherings.

As I already said, I think that’s a separate discussion which I think is relevant but beyond this topic. This is why your previous request was moved. I’m still waiting for other people to chime in on that — we would like to hear other people’s thoughts on it, too. Anyone interested in that should share their thoughts there.

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Will do in the future. I found the topic only a few days before the gathering took place.

Probably via a WhatsApp chat.

Is Paolo your Italian alter ego? :joy:
Your comment made me smile, and reminded me of my first big Postcrossing meeting in Vienna in 2018 (sounds like a century ago, huh?). I had been signing thousands of postcards for at least 4 or 5 hours, I think. Around 6 or 7pm, when most attendees had already left, a “brilliant postcrosser” gave me her 250 postcards to sign. My wrist was aching, so I only put my initial on them…

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Or Facebook, too.

Yes, that is also possible. However, having co-hosted a few meetups in Catalonia, I have noticed the locals usually communicate via instant messengers like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. That’s why I only mentioned WhatsApp to keep it short. :wink:

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What is a Meetup Book, please tell me more. I’m organizing my first F2F Meetup here in Minnesota, just want to be in the know in case someone brings one. Lynne

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Sounds good!

A meetup book is a notebook or binder where you can collect addresses of other meetup attendees and also the meetup postcard if there is one.

Many put also their personal stamps and a few words along with the address, so it becomes a nice commemorative item.

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:+1:

A post was merged into an existing topic: General Meetup Discussions

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A post was merged into an existing topic: General Meetup Discussions

For me and for many other postcrossers it would be so much more interesting and better if the language in the whole meeting topic was English again!!!
You know this card?

image

It applies to many of us. Or not specific that we plan our whole holiday around it but that we want to do a meet-up abroad and make a citytrip of it but now with only the main topic in English and the rest in the own language it’s really not interesting anymore. (not everybody is a polyglot) You can’t follow what they all writing and getting all through Google Translate is a hell of job for some meetings with lots and lots of comments. Maybe you could think about it to change this from the 1st of January again? It would be helpful for a lot of us because i.m.o. this was a step back so returning all to English would be TOP!!! Thanks in advance to think about it :slight_smile: :+1:

You don’t have to use Google translator, your browser can easily translate the sites into your chosen language.

And you can always ask in English and at least in the German section the people have no problems to add an additional explaination in English.

There are a lot of people who can only understand and write very simple English. For them, it is a great thing that the Meetup section of their country is in their native language. Imho it is good as it is now :slight_smile:

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Hi! I took part of Estonian meetup on 01.10.2022 in Viru Hotel in Tallinnn-it’s my very first meeting -never done that -I do agree with this general ideas but -it’s would be better (in my mind) if in meetups place everybody had their username on shirts (like sticker post it paper or so that where we all could see the username) -secondly I think it would be nice if someone says some words by microphone (when it starts) like “Helloo postcrossing enthusiasts today we have -… hours to be here and do You know that inside this nice gathering we do have inside post going on … and maybe some words for organizations people like “thank You”- because if You are on first time -like I was -You find Yourself inside with people whom: 1) You don’t know-what is ok 2) it’s like shock because usually some do know and some don’t and if You have no glue how long time it is (ok they say it on gathering day in forums ect ) but I say it’s important to say it or show it on gatherings too -like “now we have 3 hours left “ 3) all what it’s connected with eating ect should be written on some board like -because some pay extra and some are just visiting 4) I think would be nice if postcrossing people could collect something extra on every meeting -maybe it’s a stamp or some sticker from those who gather this because it’s like a “paus” for those who came -maybe on a table should be note -“here are those who made this meet up -You are welcome to have their stamps on Your postcard” because-ok I doooo like to post a postcard yea but I do think if You come from a street or just stepping a by You should have the list of -where is easy to see (event plan) or a big clock what shows time left -or meetup those who made it-5) inside post -like what it’s common in every gathering -what I did understand-this idea rules should have a extra table -where people could take the papers ect to dooo that -not that You have to ask people to people -it’s maybe sooooo common but if You are on a first time -You simply do not know what to expect-it’s total waw and ect -like simple rules -“send it inside the room”-“put stamp to others postcards what are inside this envelope”-“be cool because it’s postcrossing”… ect …6) would be nice if the room had a station of water or just coffeee -where those who do not write can be and talk -some are shy -this would take the stress out. In big plan what I did learn from this gathering was: 1) postcrossing people aren’t old /I had this imagination that is old people hobby ect/ no they are from every age group 2) postcrossing people are very friendly-I should say it’s like “warm breeze” -You feel that You are surrounded with people who are soooooo positive 3) postcrossing people loooove the postcards -it’s like waw every postcrossing person has one story about their loved postcard -here is an idea ! 4) I never thought that I could take part of any gathering -because Estonia is sooo far -in worldwide way 5) postcards what I saw -waw 6) we have postcrossing fans -like 600 postcards sent -thousands sent ect -I think it’s important to say it by microphone that we do have people with high list and if anyone had any questions of postcrossing things they can ask and talk -because if You send less -You do have questions and it’s nice that people with the same hobby can help each other 7) postcrossing-if we think how much positive energy every day go by simple postcard-waw we are heroes!!! Sooo I say: “thank You “ for those who made this Estonian first meetup on 01.10.2022- first time -the hard time ! -thank You for those whom I met -thank You one person who sent me Vaasa meetup postcard (what a surprise this was) and I hope that there will be more meetups where people could meet and see “this “ what You will feel when You are there. Thank You!

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5 posts were merged into an existing topic: General Meetup Discussions

sounds good

Very good and helpful guidelines. But how can you start the meet up in the first place? Is there some rules and guidelines there, too?

Hi @Becks1975, there are instructions in the meetup section - look into this topic: About the Postcrossing Meetups

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Thank you

I hate receiving those meetup cards to be honest :frowning: It happend not just once that I received a card just full of stamps, which was very disappointing, because its unpersonal and everytime the quality of the cards was just like self-printed with a bit thicker paper. It makes me angry, when I put much time and love in every single postcard just to receive a card full od stamps and I fil kind of betrayed.

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