Sending postcards not from your own country

This kind of pickiness has always been what’s put me off Postcrossing the most. Some people take it to a whole another level too - I’ve seen profiles that ask for a view card of my local area sent from and postmarked in the same local area where I am from!

I’ve not lived where I was born for many years. I wonder how long I need to live where I am now for these people to accept a card from me. Maybe they want a copy of my birth certificate to be sure?

Here’s a quote of one I’ve seen:

[imagine a list of possible views here] ONLY REGION / AREA where YOU live and where you come from

—-

I don’t care what country a card is from as long as it’s sent with kind intentions. Perhaps not a view of my own home sent from another country, that would be a bit creepy.

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Hmmm. Good feedback. An expression here is “different strokes for different folks”, so I’m always interested to hear when people have different opinions. A lot of times when I travel (especially abroad), I might not get the chance to get to a post office. But another thing I might try - in the spirit of sharing the experience - would be to pick up a few extra cards while I’m in country, and then do a lottery when I get back. That way people who were really longing to have a card from a particular country can choose to get “in” the lottery. Anyway - thanks for your feedback… it prompted me to keep thinking and come up with that idea! :smile:

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Oh I bet they probably won’t mind. If someone traveled to the US and then back to another country - and then sent me that US card, I’d probably still enjoy hearing what they thought of it. I’m thinking the huge majority of Postcrossers aren’t that picky. And even when you do draw an occasional profile that makes a long list of requirements - it’s still up to the sender to send what they want to and what they can. I seem to recall guidelines about using the profile for “introduction” rather than demands.
I also think the large majority of Postcrossers do their best to try to choose a card the receiver will be happy with if they possibly can. That is part of the joy of it; mutually sharing a little “happiness”. That said… Happy Postcrossing!!!

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I think they’re trying to re-enforce the ‘local area’ bit there, in case you’re tempted to sneak in an aerial view of the White Cliffs of Dover, etc. :wink:

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I agree with you that many people take this hobby too far. It is not supposed to be about getting what you want (unless all you want is any postcard). I feel sad that people have to start threads to ask if it’s ok if they send certain postcards or second guess their choices.

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I have always thought this means sending the cards from where I live or am now. (Maybe they just don’t think people move and change countries.) Like I am from Oulu now, but not originally, and I’ve lived elsewhere too. So they would prefer a card from here, Oulu.
If they want a postmark, I write that I cannot guarantee it as we don’t have post office anymore.

I think I had such in my profile, because I like to see the place where the card is sent from, preferably, and maybe the sender can write about it. But some like to play stupid and write something like “sorry I can’t travel to place x where I’m originally from…”, “sorry this card is printed in China but it’s covid…”. I’ve never asked to send the card from where it’s printed, or where the person was born. But, these are only my preference. Sender decides, and I’m ok with it. I’ve sent cards showing other countries, but often members mention they like cards from f ex Paris, even when it’s not sent from Paris.

I wouldn’t worry. Things like Disney, Pixar, Star Wars are so wide spread, I think people don’t take badly getting this kind of card even sent to the “original” country, from elsewhere. It could be all you had is a Disney card box, so that’s perfectly good.

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Of course it’s okay. Every card is okay. If it will be liked is something different. Most often profiles will give you hints to decide, your decision to follow them or not.

Personally I don’t like any country related cards send from different countries (including touristic views, flags, maps and if it’s with a named location landscapes & wild animals, too). Of course I won’t complain, as I have no right to do so, that’s just how Postcrossing works. I will say thank you nevertheless, but I don’t keep those cards as I cannot enjoy them (even if I liked the message).

I don’t mind from where other cards are sent from (illustrations, art, famous people, movie related etc) or even where those were printed. It doesn’t matter at all to me. Therefore I wouldn’t mind receiving some German art etc from another country.

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It seems odd to me that someone in Vienna should not send a card of, say, Munich according to some demands. Yet, I could send one of Alaska or Montana thousands of km away, which would be far more different to my daily life.

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That is what I think too, John. As I said, Maine, USA is a 2 minute walk from my house. What the postcards their depict are much more like where I live (in fact, exactly) then postcards I would purchase elsewhere in Canada.

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Try the tags! There are all kinds of tags to fit with these subjects. :grinning:

Yes, these are in different countries, but it’s only a preference, a wish, if someone doesn’t like Vienna card from Germany. Just like some like sports stadiums or cats. We don’t have to follow it, we can send what we want, we don’t need to understand how someone likes different things than us.

To me seems very easy to understand it’s nice to get a “package” where stamps, postmark and card are from same place. Especially maybe when they have not been to that country. It’s like a small piece of that place.

I think sometimes the senders get more stuck to the “demands” than the member meant :slight_smile:

(And of course, it it feels really bad and demanding, we can always contact the postcrossing team and they can look and/or help if it could be written with more neutral tone. )

I understand this too. Sometimes the border between countries doesn’t change anything.
Still, if I had Swedish card saying “Sweden”, I would not send it from Finland, if someone likes better getting card from Finland, saying “Finland”. Even when the Sweden would look more like where I live.
Of course, if I only had card saying “Sweden” I would send that, and be happy with it.

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Same here with Netherlands and Belgium, both countries are just a short bus drive away from me, so I don’t see any reason to not send cards showing Vaals or Maastricht (both Netherlands) or Eupen or Hasselt (both Belgium), they are much closer to me than Berlin, Hamburg or even Cologne.

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Also, where are people expecting we get postcards if not in the places closest to where we live?

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I always thought these were not what they (who want postcard from where the sender is from) would like either :slight_smile: so like I live in Oulu, they prefer card from Oulu, not from Tampere. That’s how I like too, but it’s only a wish.

From a place not so close :smiley: I don’t buy from the closest place, because there is more to choose from, and cards from Oulu, if I buy from “not the closest”.
Also some people only stayed at one place in their life, and if it happens to be a place/country where postcards are easy to get, they might think it’s the same everywhere.

I had once a profile, where they were telling they are “easy to please” as they wanted the easiest, cheapest option of postcard, a touristic postcard of where I live :rofl: Profiles like that to me show, they don’t know it’s not the same everywhere.

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It’s been about two years since I sent a card showing the city I live in. Why would I buy overpriced cards here when I can get a cheap bundle every time I travel somewhere more touristy?

I only keep tourist cards for picky people and if what I have is not good enough I’m not going to worry about it.

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Maybe, but I can’t help narrowmindedness. I was born and grew up in Breyell, but now I have lived in Aachen for more than 20 years so that is what I regard as to be from and I count East-Belgium and the south of Dutch Limburg in.

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I have it in my profile that I don’t mind if the card is not from your country, because I don’t mind lol

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What, yours or someone elses? If you mean allegedly mine, help is not even needed :slight_smile:

I’m surprised to sense this almost hostile attitude if someone prefers certain postcard :frowning_face:
In my life people are allowed to say what things they like, so why not tell what kind of cards make them happy. Everyone who has joined this hobby, should know they are not obliged to fulfill any wishes but also they should know that there is nothing wrong to tell what kind of card a person prefers or wishes.

I see some unfriendly assumptions made based on people’s like. Why think so negatively about someone just because what they like?

If they like card sent from “origin country”, doesn’t mean they won’t like any other cards at all. (Like I am a good example of that :smile: )

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And I am surprised that you attack me so rudely. :frowning:

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I don’t. But really, sorry I’m not talking about you only, but this ambiance like it were wrong to tell what sort of card one prefers, and others are entitled to call them narrow minded (?), picky, ungrateful…even when not knowing what other things are in their profile, and how they would react to other cards in reality.

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