receiving mail is one of life’s greatest pleasures (admit it: you get excited when you receive a hand-written letter or invitation in the mail). how many of us, though, actually take the time to write a letter? the world of emails, texts, and ipads have left us no real reason to send mail, other than the joy it brings both the sender and receiver.

sending postcards from my trips is one of my favorite parts of traveling. i love buying cheesy postcards in bulk from tacky tourist stands or finding the perfect photo of a cathedral that is currently ensconced in scaffolding (lookin’ at you, milan cathedral!). my friends and family then get to experience a part of my travels, and with a foreign stamp, postmark, and photo – most of the time for just around one US dollar.

usually the most difficult part of writing to friends back home is determing – in a foreign language – which stamp i need for my postcard. i find it easiest to address the card first, and then show the address – with the country’s name – to the attendant. also, remember to jot down the addresses of your friends and family BEFORE you leave home; just trust me on that one.

happy writing!