Postcrossing Blog

I also work at the Post Office. Here in Brazil, but I'm not postwoman, work with customer service.

I wanted to be mail carrier in Paris, but they need driver's licence, and I don't have it, so I can't do this job :(

Im's also a postman here in Portugal. It's funny that the place/furniture seems very similar to ours. However, there's a huge difference: they don't seem to have any mail! :D

I am afraid that postal volumes will diminish over the years. This is going to be a very rare profession...

what a pity, that the cameraman couldn´t do more (i.e. taking shots from different day tasks), constant left-right moves made me dizzy when looking....

Also postman in HOlland!!

I started out 25 years ago as a mail carrier for the USPS. I loved the job but took a job as a window clerk when I had my children. Mail volume per household is down but the number of houses on each route have increased. Routes are combined as mail volume drops so the carrier has more stops to make. Machinery sorts all the mail for the carriers into walk sequence and now the carriers spend 7 hours a day or more outside. It isnt bad if the weather is nice but we get a lot of rain and cold and snow in Pittsburgh! It is better if you have a "mounted" route with a vehicle but we still have a lot of "walking" routes. There are a lot of hills and steps in Pittsburgh so the job keeps you in shape!

Wow, thanks Lord5005 for the additional information about the changes, that was really interesting!

Gary sounds cute, tho I agree with martymarty that the camerawork was annoying. Also, "progress within the business" made me shudder - typical corporate speak :|

I work as a mailcarrier on Saturdays, too. I'm not a trained postwoman and I don't sort the letters in the mornings (the regular workers do this and I just pick them up), I just deliver them (as well as the advertisments, small parcels, catalogues and magazines etc). It's "only" a student job and I was hired as a relief for the regular workers since new commercial leaflets that have to be delivered in addition to the regular mail, were introduced. But I really love it! I've been working there for about a year now and I usually spend 4,5 to 6 hours outside, depending on the mail volume. Weather is not a problem since I've got enough clothing to withstand rain and snow, but it can get pretty cold on your hands sometimes since you can't wear full gloves.

I've got a pushcart with three large boxes to get all the mail moved and I fill it three times during my route. Others have bikes with attached bags and some deliver the mail by car - depending on their route. Unfortunately I only get paid for 4,5h, but since the wages are relatively high and I enjoy this job so much it's ok for me. :)

Oh, what I forgot to say - it's especially great to deliver postcards and parcels that obviously contain presents. Most people are happy to receive them and so am I if I see their joy. It was really great to work on Christmas and deliver so many presents. Birthdays are great, too. I also simply love handling letters and cards, they feel nice. (I haven't delivered a postcrossing card yet, though ;))

Congratulations to the winners! Have not seen the video yet.

I enjoyed the what is your favourite stamp competition very very much. Reading almost all the comments and to see the beautiful remarkable stamps was a pleasure to me!

p.s. My favourite stamp has not got any favourite yet
www.postcrossing.com/postcards/BY-21172

i have been a postman for the past 15 years with the USPS! i love my job, even though mail volume is down. it is a great job when the weather is nice, but it is quite a challenge during inclement weather. i have a lot of great people on my route who make a sometimes repetitive job enjoyable.

Have been a postwoman for 27 years with Australia Post. I ride a motor bike and the dogs just hate the bike. I have been bitten by dogs just twice in 27 years, and collided with a car, I am still recovering now (18 months) from car accident.
The job is OK. You do meet many nice and friendly people.You have your good days and bad especially with the weather. It is summer here in Melbourne Australia so it can get very hot under the helmet but with nice icy cold water its is fine.
Gail62 Australia

Being a postwoman has always been my dream... -until now I've just delivered ad newspapers but I'm sure that at the latest as a grandma I'll be serving a little peaceful village- by bike or foot!!

cool, THANK YOU for this topic!
a question to all you postman/women: Do you usually care about what you carry, I understood it's quite interesting for you, too? And, the most important: Do you happen to read postcards:O)?
Our dear postwoman one day stopped me on the street asking me for vocabulary she couldn't understand and which she hasn't found in the dictionary- 'postcrossing' for example... this is how I understood she was reading my mail- and we try to send postcards in strange languages or from far-away postboxes now :O)

I'd love to work at the post office and especially be a postwoman! But I've never seen a postwoman in Greece so that would be strange for some people!

I have dreamed to be a postwoman and last summer I was working in the post office. I got to sort and deliver mail. It was wonderful job, I liked it a lot and I hope to get to work there again this summer. :D

I would like to be a postwoman because they get lots of fresh air and bring joy to people by delivering postcards and personal letters (well yes, there ARE people who still write letters). My father was a postman (he's retired now) and sometimes got limited editions of special stamps for free).

This could be a cat waiting for the mail-man/woman!http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/NL-1038654

This camera-movements in the head-views make me have headache...
but it's an interesting interview...

I used to be a mail carrier during my summer break when I was a student. I began working very early in the morning and first had to bring the presorted mail into the correct order. Most was already sorted correctly, but the system had some errors concerning the route and of course several items could never be machine read.
I had a car for my tour because I had several areas in various villages and couldn't have done without it.
I started delivering around 6 in the morning and was done about noon, depending on the volume of mail.
I didn't like the job very much. I don't like getting up early and I always had to hurry - there wasn't any time to talk to people. I especially didn't like it when there were advertisments that had to be given to every house - no matter if they got other mail as well. That always slowed things down.
So I was indeed happy when the time was over and I'm not jealous of any of the post (wo)men ... they really have a hard job!

i'm postman in belgium at waimes.i started my job out 19 years a go . i love this job!!!

My husband Len is a postal delivery officer,'postie'and has worked for Australia Post for 40 years(next month).
His sister is Gail62-see above comment).
He absolutely loves his job.Len starts at 6am, does some sorting of the mail plus other work then out to deliver.He is a very friendly person(likes to chat) and his customers love him.At Christmas time he decorates his 'buggy' and also dresses up as Santa.He often gets stopped in the street by passers by so they take his photo.
Len keeps fit as he walks about 10km a day.
I am very proud of him and his achievements as he has won several awards.It's important to be happy with your job and he certainly is.

Congratulations to the winners!

When I was a child and someone asked me what I wanted to be when I am big my answer always was "I want to sort mail"
I have no idea why I did not remember that as I choose my proffession but I also am happy not being a post woman. ;)

If you want to see a lovely movie about postmen and their post office, look at the French movie " Bienvenue chez les Chtis". For a laugh and a tear!

Congratulations to the winners! It was fun taking part in the giveaway!

Thanks Ana, received a package today!