Snail-mailers around the globe: Germany

Another interview for this series! So this time we have Nicy from Germany who is really nice and was really kind to answer to my call for postcrossers to be featured here.

In what snail-mailing activities do you take part?

Postcard swapping and penpaling.

How did you became a snail-mailer?

My best friend in kindergarten moved with her family to another city and to be in contact with her, we phoned but we also wrote letters. Even today we write letters to each other. After that I had several snail mail friends in Germany and in Europe, but due to the internet I lost contact with a lot of them. But when I discovered Postcrossing I wrote postcards all the time.

For how long have you been doing this?

Since I learned to write.

Can you show three of your favorite postcards and make a little explanation on why you like them?

I really like all my postcards because I like to travel to different countries and explore new cultures, but there are two postcards that are special to me.

It's a self-made postcard showing clovers. I really like clovers and handmade cards so this card is just perfect for me. It's made with watercolor on a very thick white postcard. I like this postcard because the sender did this extra for me and it makes it really special. 

It's actually just a common view card from Ulm, but the story behind this card makes it really special to me. I have to say that Ulm is 12 km away from my hometown and that I went to Ulm everyday because my university was located in Ulm. During my study I did an exchange semester in Latvia (Aug-Dec 2012) and after a month I received this card. I first thought that the card was from one of my friends at home but no it was an official Postcrossing card, I was really surprised! My second thought was that someone living in Ulm wrote this card but no… the sender was on holiday over there without noticing that Ulm was my hometown! The first line makes this card special too, as it says: "Viele Grüsse aus deiner Heimat" (Lots of greetings from home), with home he actually meant Germany, but for me it was Ulm! I put this card on my desk in Latvia so I could see my home everyday (I forgot to bring postcards with me and my friends only wrote e-mails so this card was a piece of home for me).

How much does it cost to send a postcard in your country?

A postcard from Germany to Germany costs 0.45 euro, a letter from Germany to Germany costs 0.58 euro and a postcard or letter (up to 20 g) to anywhere in the world is 0.75 euro.

Do you have any theme collections? If you do, why are you collecting them?

I collect view cards as I like to travel to different places, but I also like angels and butterflies as well as cards depicting people.

I just collect angels and butterflies because I think they're pretty and cards depicting people are always different and very interesting. 

If you are into pen-paling, from which countries do you have pen-pals from?

At the moment: Germany, Poland, Japan and Taiwan.

Have you discovered any destination you'd like to travel to thanks to a postcard?

I'd really like to go to Slovenia because I love the landscapes on the postcards that I've got from there.

Please share a few facts about other countries you've learned thanks to postcards or letters:

• I once got a card from Siberia, Russia that told me that in Siberia there are also landmarks without any snow at all.
• I could imagine celebrating Christmas in Australia in some way but I realized it with a postcard showing a beach and saying "Season's Greetings".

A few fun/strange/surprising facts you'd like to share about your country?

• The church in Ulm has the highest church steeple in the world and no elevator. It takes 768 stairs to climb to the steeple. On a sunny day you can even see the Alps from the top.
• Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, however very few people know he was born here.
• Ulm has it's own regional holiday called "Schwörmontag" (suggested translation: Confirming Monday . On this day the mayor of the city confirms with an oath that he/she will be a good mayor for the next year, after that there's a great celebration through the city. The biggest celebration is at 16 o' clock at the Danube river, where there's is kind of a carnival on the water where everyone can participate. 

In your opinion, what is it that makes sending postcards and letters through snail-mail special?

I like every part of it. Choosing the card, the writing, the sending, the receiving and reading the letter/postcard and getting surprised. 

Danke Nicy!