Meet drakrana (aka Amit) from India! He’s a doctor in a remote city in the Himalayas, who discovered Postcrossing only a little over a year ago… but embraced with exceptional passion! :)
Here is what he had to say:
- How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?
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One day was video-chatting with my friend Olya from Russia when she told me “Hey! See I got postcards!” and I was amazed to have a look at them… I fell in love with the image of a child smiling back to me from that postcard and then I came to know of this wonderful world of Postcrossing..
Despite having the second largest population of world, Postcrossing is relatively unknown in India, having just under 2000 postcrossers. I inquired in my town and Postcrossing was unheard of. I was the only postcrosser in town for 6 months as told by the postmaster… this really pushed me more and more as to why we are not so much aware of this wonderful thing when the rest of the world seems to be looking to find out more about our culture… this is just the perfect platform to do so!
Initially the wait was painfully long as mail is slow here, but my Postcrossing India group which I came across in Facebook kept my morale high, sharing stories how postcrossing has WIDENED their perspective about this world, interesting cards and stories about wonderful people they came across. And once the cards and beautiful words started pouring in, there was no looking back! :) I really can vouch that Postcrossing has been the most amazing experience, just second to saving the life of a dying patient in my life.
- Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!
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My field work is in a hilly area where mail services are not very good in terms of speed/surity of delivery so when I started getting mail first, the postman was quite confused… he even stopped by just to ask me why was getting THESE THINGS and where from. I explained to him and he was so surprised! He said this is something great to do, as I will know what most don;t know of in terms of people and places. He also told me that, in a way, I am helping him by contributing to his salary (again something which stuck me deeper in Postcrossing when I realised that it affects so many people in its own way).
This postbox just outside my house, and I use it for posting cards.
I store my postcards in my drawer at work as I can’t wait to see them! Whenever I’m pressed with work and tense they give me freshness of thoughts and the chance to smile when I am surrounded by the sorrow and pain of my patients :)
I have a postcard walll hanging in my room opposite to me at work where I keep some cards which make me feel good and I keep changing them as I keep getting more . official postcrossing has opened door to swapped cards as well so I have a lot of cards now.
Now my next aim is to get such a wall for every wall of my house. its much better than paint! :) It makes concrete walls come to life and talk to you, when we come back from a harsh day of work.
- Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.
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My favourite postcards, well each postcard has a story… some are fav coz of pictures, some coz of words and some coz they come from places or have something which affect us deep down. I too have such share of cards.
On the left, a self-made card from Telenn in the Netherlands, a user who later gradually turned into a wonderful friend and now I am visiting Europe first time in my life and would meet her as well, and visit a lot of europe as now europe doesnt feel far and unknown now. thanks to wonderful people who I met through postcrossing
And on the right is a card from SimilliMom who favourited a lot of my sent cards (and later became a friend) sent this to tell me that a doctor is too occupied with work and so should have some moments of happiness. And it reached me at one such time!
On the left, the card that made me realize that I am in love with wild cat family and I now collect them a lot. And I also fell in love with trains. This card, I got in an exchange, as a thank you card for sending an official postcard.
Card from a Milena- who I came across when I favourited her cards, and she sent me this card telling me a lot about her country and its people.
- What is it your favorite part of the Postcrossing process?
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The moment I hit the “Request address” button, and the small pause before the address pops up… is THE most addicting part of Postcrossing! Who will get a part of my life? Who in the other part of world will soon know that “a Amit Rana” exists, someone who was non-existent for me just a moment before… that moment of surprise is what makes this project such a wonderful experience.
And then the “Congratulations, Your postcard IN-xxxxx arrived” moment… the heart goes for a spin and we just can’t stop ourselves from looking and finding out what the receiver felt about the card! :)
- Do you have any other interesting hobbies?
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I am a photographer by hobby, someone who just tries to find meaning in everything, animals inanimate objects, the beauty of nature and just anything which can express feelings.
I’m also a trekker, just going for nature walks and lucky too as I live amidst the beautiful Himalayas. Being in a busy profession, I seldom get the chance to go out and travel, but Postcrossing has made up for that deficiency: it takes me to the other end of world in a moment. As getting postcards isn’t so easy in India and I sometimes get strange looks when I inquire for cards… I decided to print the pictures I captured as cards. Soon enough, the people at the Indian Postcrossing group were asking me if they could use some of my images to print as postcards as well – that was a great moment, because I felt that my photography hobby was of use to my felllow countrymen!
- Is there anything that you are passionate about?
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I am passionate about the spirit of One World… the spirit of realizing that even if there are differences in customs, lifestyles, values, we all have the same feelings. We are all curious as to who the people are in other parts of world unknown to us, unseen and unheard of… its the same spirit which makes us happy when we get a card from an exotic location, which keeps someone already having over 6000 cards in his account write to me “Hey, I am so glad to write to you, never been to India but want to see Taj Mahal once before I die” This… SPIRIT is what I love and it keeps me going.
I am passionate about spreading happiness and positivity. As a doctor, we are taught to fight disease, but in my years of practice I have realised that we are just supporters. Everyone fights from inside and so believing that we’ll be ok makes us heal a lot faster than any medicine in world can do.
And if a piece of paper has the courage to survive hundreds of hands, travelling thousand of miles in different modes, escaping rain, storms, traffic jams and who knows what… Shouldn’t we be re-assured that we’ll endure everything in our way and deliver the messages we have within us… aren’t we postcards as well, spreading happiness and changing lives? :)
104 comments so far
Hello Amit,
Thank you for your interesting spotlight. It was very nice to read it.
What an awesome piece, Amit! And you was so unsure about what you wrote, it is so great to read :D
Great interview!
What a lovely interview. Amit has expressed the true spirit of Postcrossing!
Of the few interviews I have read so far this one touched me most. How it puts things in the right perspective, for example, when I complain about a mailman not delivering my parcel just throwing a card in, that he tried - and I was there and he tried not ... Why complain? The post office is just around the corner for me - I can walk there and get my parcel!
How easy I got it, compared to other folks.
How spoilt I am.
A little bit of Postcrossing might be just about that - putting things in the right perspective, when we go for the makro photo - and the world is so much bigger as a whole.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful perspectives, Amit. The connections we make in this world, even the small ones, are such a source of beauty. :)
Very nice!!
Hey Amit. Well done
Lovely!
wow, what an impressive interview!!!
The image of the child just went in my focus on someones wall today and yesterday and now you write about it! Unbelievable!
Greetings from Germany and please let us know when you visit Germany.
Wish your example motivates others to enjoy this wonderful community that turns ONE World into reality!
Great interview! Thanks for sharing from your heart.
Loved the interview :)))
Others have already said what I felt when I read your interview - amazing, wonderful, wise and inspiring! This reminded me of why I belong in Postcrossing.
Hi Amit. This was such a wonderful interview. Thanks for sharing your heart & joy. It's very contagious! Sending hugs from Canada. ^_^
I´m agree with every word you have told in the interview Amit, It has been a great pleasure to find you in postcrossing and I hope one day we could do a big meeting all together, because I have found wonderful people and wonderful places wich I would love to know and visit. Thank you very much.
kudos
This spotlight captures the essence of what Postcrossing is to me .... connecting! A beautiful spotlight. Thank you Amit!
Thank you for the way you think and sharing your life and thoughts! I wish all good to you and to your work - and of course, many great cards :)
Thanks a lot for the feelings you shared with us!
A wonderful interview. Yes, Amit, you expressed many of my warm feelings about Postcrossing, too. Thank you.
You have a beautiful way of expressing yourself - great interview! :o)
This the most inspiring interview I've read. Thank You, Amit.
Interesting story, Amit. :)
Good job Amit ji. Happy postcrossing.
I loved reading about the bewildered postman! I am sure many postal workers must know about Postcrossing, and the joy it brings!
As a nurse in the USA, I commend and empathize with your hard work for your patients, and know you are deserving of your ever expanding "wallpaper!"
a touching interview doctor ji. happy to know you through Indian Postcrossing family. Congrats and thanks for sharing your experience
Thanx for sharing! :)
What an impressive & touching interview, Amit! You have expressed the true spirit of Postcrossing and so beautifully. I liked the part of contributing to the postman's salary. How many people think of that?
I am glad to have met you in real life and loved your warmth as a person. It was not a one timer. We'll meet again & again. :)
HAppy postcrossing!
I was deeply moved and touched by your extremely interesting interview.Your ideas about Postcrossing are very close to many pospcrossers.If you come to Russia some day my family and I will be glad to get acquainted with you.With love from Russia. TyulpinovaNatalia.
..after reading this interview I would love to become a postcrossing member, thank you Amit ;o)
Cheer Dr. Amit! I hope someday I can be the spotlight too.. :)
Amit sir.. this is indeed lovely..
well i was unhappy to see none of my sent cards on your wall..
moreover i thought you were passionate about other things..:-P
nevertheless.. nice thoughts.
Awesome Interview Doc !
superb... congrats
hello everyone.. woke up to many wonderful messages and kind words of fellow postcrossers and friends :) now i feel being in spotlight literally :) thank u so much all for liking my thoughts so much :)i really appreciate the wonderful encouraging words and even invitations to meet :) i would love to meet and visit if and whenever its possible i ll surely keep in mind :) and its really humbling to read so many wonderful people liking this :) happy me :) thank u all :)
smiles from India :)
Hello Dear Amit ♡
What a great Interview
Huuuuuugs from Hamburg
I agree with what all the others on here have written: Thank you for this wonderful interview, Amit. I hope that maybe one day I will get you address on postcrossing so I can send you a card too!
Amazing post, this May I'm going to India, I'm addicted with India since I was kid. so this is my dream trip. Btw I only got 2 postcards from India, so definitely I will buy lotsa postcard there and send to myself back home in Indonesia haha...
Hugs from Indonesia,
Alid Abdul
Dear Amit, it's so nice to meet you through this interview, I enjoyed it a lot! I love India, my daughter is adopted from India (she is now 33 weeks pregnant of her first child, I'm so excited)and I have worked as a volonteer for years at a development project for the poor and needy in Karnataka. The last time I've been to India was in '98, I feel a bit homesick.
Thanks for this sneek view into your life.
Greetings.
Reena
Amit Rana, thank you for making me see Postcrossing in a different light, your perspective on it makes this project even more valuable!
Hello Amit, that was an absolutely wonderful interview you presented us, it was a real pleasure to read. :) Your love for Postcrossing and postcards literally jumps out of every word you use, it was very interesting and I wish you'll have many more beautiful memories with Postcrossing. :)
Dear Amit, It's wonderful, I feel each of your words came right deep from your heart.
Amit ji it is really a surprise to see this blog. I have same feeling about POST CROSSING....... It is really a nice project that is giving us the opportunity to get new friends, keep continued interaction with them, and exchange the cultures, share lot many things.......
this is really inspiring, I really enjoyed reading it..
Awesome Amit. Keep going.
Great going Amit Rana, Your story has really inspired me. Even I'm from Ladakh the Trans Himalayan part of India. Even in my hometown, Postcrossing is something no one has ever heard of, but thankfully I did and I'm loving it. Keep inspiring, Happy Postcrossing!
I began to cry of these words.Thanks Amit for your story.Good luck...:))
Thats it! Thats why i love postcrossing even more and i wanna grow old with postcrossing..:) its a wonderful experience to travel via postcards, after all these years, especially for someone who are not lucky enough to travel aboard, like me.
Very inspiring story, thank you for this great interview.
an interesting interview with Amit...
have read every single word.. thanks, Amit, really inspiring.. wishing you good luck and tons of postcard!
Thank you Amit, a marvellous interview, I did so enjoy reading about you and your life and your thoughts about postcrossing! I hope my address will be sent to you and I could receive one of your selfmade photo's. O, and I loooooove this wall where you are hanging the cards! That is an excellent way to enjoy the cards without damaging them!
What a postcard wall!!! I wished to have one like this, but my walls are filled up with bookcases, no space! Great interview. Thanks.
Wooo hooo!! Nice to see you in the spotligh Amit! Such an honest interview. Keep up the spirit! And Rock on. :)
Wow!!! Great interview!!
Great interview! I love the positivity!!! :) :) :)
Amit, you inspire us all. Well said!
Thanks for sharing and my Congratulations for this inspiring interview.
All the best for you!
Cute! Another inspiring story
Lucky me. My letter with the card and full of surprises is traveling to this postcrosser
Nice to meet you through this interview! Postcrossing enable us to discover great people all around the world. All the best to you all!
P.S. I am still waiting my first card from India!!
Wonderful thought: to be a postcard. Hope I'll meet a lot of people, countries & adventures. Thank you, Amit!
Thoughts and feelings beautifully expressed and radiate with spirituality. The heart is touched 1,000 times and the eyes become teary.
Beautiful and touching message that you took your time to share :)
Wow! What an amazing view you have on life! That's why I joined Postcrossings was to learn about other people and share their joy of life. I hope you fill your wall with postcards that bring you joy. Thanks for sharing your story!
Peace, Mary
Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you for such a true and touching spotlight message (: I really started to tear up at the end, I felt my heart grow a little!
What a great interview! Amit, you really have a talent for expressing things in such a beautiful way.
"We are all curious as to who the people are in other parts of world unknown to us, unseen and unheard of... its the same spirit which makes us happy when we get a card from an exotic location"
This is why I became interested in postcrossing ... To learn about other places that I may never visit and feel that in a way we are not so different, despite the many miles that may separate us.
Awesome interview. From one who is just starting out (only days old), thank you for an insight into the amazing journey and ride I am now on.
oh my doctor :)))
Thank you so much for spreading your positivity in this spotlight! So many great thoughts: ) I hope we can exchange postcards someday!
Wooowww... Great interview, Doctor Rana! Thank you for sharing. Love it.
Thank u Mondkind - i owe a lot to u as well :)
Thank u all of these wonderful peopel who took out time to read about me and my life and my thoughts :) and thank u for sending so many swap messages :) i ll do my best :))))
Few of u shared ur life wid me in msgs so wishing good luck to those whose kids are about to bring new life in this world and those who are about to visit India :)))
Thank u for writing to me and being there my Postcrossing India members , its so nice to see u comment here as well :) it wouldnt be possible to continue postcrossing without ur words and help :))
And i was really moved when some of u said u got teary reading it :) i was equally touched and i feel same when some card or person writes to me sharing his life :) thank u so so much :))))
"Colee" i ahve to be good in expressing :) doctor has to be honest , clear thoughts help to treat us well :) thank u so much :)))
"birdelotti" thanku :) yes :)oh your doctor is here :) :))) i hope ur having a happy time :)
and i loved to hear that such wonderful people found my words positive :) thats what i want always , to be more positive and spread positivity :)) thank u all so much :)))
lets come closer to each other defying the borders and distances :) there is a saying in Indian culture - " vasundhara kutumbkam" ( Whole world is a single family ) and so you all are my dear family members :))))))
This is such an inspiring and moving interview, wow! Thank you for your wonderful words. :)
You really touched me with this article. I always like the spotlights, hearing about what other people feel about postcrossing. But Amit is so passionate about it. He really said things I feel as well but couldn't put into words. Thank you Amit.
Thank you very much for this interview, it is very moving.
Long live Postcrossing in India!
Nice interview, thank you for sharing your cards with us! :)
Hello Amit, it was nice reading your story! I like photography too and I totally agree with you about the spirit of taking pictures and of course I love Postcrossing! :) Bye bye from Italy! :)
thanks for sharing, youre doing great for inspiring people around! we agree about beautiful world that we must see before we die..lets share happiness not hatred! we tired of war n silly politics things, just colorful smiling cheerful happiness that we need!
xoxo from Indonesia
Hi Amit. Great interview. Im inspired in so many level, being a postcrosser and also as a junior doctor. In our line of work we see a lot of people, and know stories of many people as people open up about their lives and secret Postcrossing is also like that, but like you said... its the bigger picture but we are all one big family!
Interesting place to work in rural area. Might be posted in one of rural area in my country later. I might make a postman bewildered like you too. :>
Dear Amit,your interview impressed me deeply,and as you can read in the many answers from all over the world you can be sure- you could put the spirit of postcrossing in words,my flesh begins to creep :)
"..and so as you have eyes, to see the light, and ears, to hear the sounds, so you have a heart, to realize the time, and all the time you dont notice with your heart, is as lost, as the colours of the rainbow for a blind man or the birds songs for a deaf" (its from MOMO from Michael Ende)
Today, you are my Momo :)
Best wishes from germany to the himalaya doctor
what an amazing wall, you may add many cards, it would be more COOL ^_^ nice share dr. Amit :D
hi, your story was so interesting and you used so nice expressions to tell about our beloved postcrossing, I really got cheered up a lot!!! thank you for sharing your story!!
bye, ipue..
How nice! :-)
A fantastic spotlight! Might be my favorite one. It is so nice to "meet" you, Amit! :]
Wow :) i cant get enough of love and nice words like i m getting here :) its so great to hear that so many people across the globe feel the same feeling s which i shared n i m glad to give words to those feeling s :) if i have cheered up u , then i got cheered up 10 times as well :) so happy to see so many people are happy with the thoughts and feel the same :) best wishes and lots of smiles to everyone living in far off places yet close to my heart :)
" vasundhara kutumbkam" : I totally agree with this words. oh by the way, where you bought that awesome postcard wall ? i loved it! :). is it available online or somewhere.. can you share with us :)
Hi carolinechia : thank u :) that wall , it was a gift to me from a very dear friend from Germany who recognized my passion and sent it to me as a gift without even telling me :))) its available in Germany . rest places i cannot be sure :)
and i said the idea of whole family as one family " vasundhara kutumbkam" coz thats y we love real postcards.. its like hearing from a friend or family living far away ... the joy it brings.. if postcards were not connecting us with real people then who would wait so much to get those cards or take trouble to send them.. everyone would have just bought them from market to add in colllection or printed them... isnt it :))) but the joy of getting words froma person u barely know, some one far away ... thats the real charm..
What a wonderful interview. Thank you for have a look in your life. LIVE well, LAUGH often, LOVE always. There are so many beautiful people in the world and its wonderful to share feelings with them.
Great story! I haven't yet exchanged a postcard with anyone from India, and would love to swap a card with you. I know you must be getting a lot of requests, but if you can swap, please message me.
My postcards are great for stress relief too. I have aspergers and ptsd which cause a lot of anxiety. So it is nice to look at the cards and think about the beautiful places they came from.
Amit you touched my heart and made me cry.
Thank you for that lovely and amazing interview!
Best wishes from Vienna to all of you
Amit...what a very WONDERFUL interview! ♥ I think you made many beautiful points about Postcrossing and captured the essence of why we all participate in this great project! I really agree with your perception of oneness in this world! Postcrossing is a wonderful reminder that there are so many beautiful people in the world and sometimes it takes something very simple to remind us that the core things of people in all cultures are really one and the same!
Like so many others here, I was moved by this interview. What a wonderful outlook and perspective you have, Amit. I especially like how you are able to bring together the spirit of postcrossing with the spirit of healing, and how this is like a thread that holds the people of the world together.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you for a passionate interview, you're phenomenal and I love your wall as well ;) Salam,
My dear Amit!
Finally I found time to comment)
U already know that I LOVED every line of this interview! Read whole interview on one breath:) So many words have already been told about it! But I think I should mention about Amit himself! He s just a perfect swapper, very pleasant, kind, wise, kindhearted person! And I m happy that this amazing project helped us to meet!
P.S.: I also wanna say thank u,Amit, for mentioning me here! I m glad to be a part of it :)
With much love from Minsk!
I love the last paragraph. Not many things stand out and strike me, but I find that quote inspirational.
Thank you :)
Hello,
Jaijinendra,
I have gone th yr gallery ,& feel you have grate collection of MAXCARD,congratulate,i am retired from service but not from the world,i have visited whole world in 1982,than i have collected philately(STAMPS)coins ,currency &autographs etc,plzz visit my place PUNE(INDIA) the I T & cultural city,
th you ,
This has to be my favourite interview by far, really captures the essence of Postcrossing.
Thank you for your most inspirational piece! I love that you create cards from your own photography. My husband and I plan to have some of our pictures of our city printed into postcards to send. I also love your wall decorated with pictures and friends. Warm regards from St Louis, Missouri in the US.
Amazing ....
A Doctor by Profession, A Great Photographer by Hobby, A Postcrosser by Heart...
Difficult Task to be such a All-Rounder :)
but well maintained...
Keep the Spirit of Postcrossing Alive and Enjoy each moment of it :)
Dr Amit Ji, Wonderful :) Proud to have you as a friend :)
Wow what a great interview!
I have some postcrossing friends from India, they are so nice!
I love the Taj Mahal and they send me cards of it.
Nice to meet you at the interview :)
happy postcrossing and have lots of fun in the Netherlands, with Telenn. She is a great person!
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