Postcrossing Blog

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

August at last! Longer school breaks in the northern hemisphere typically happen in these hotter months, with families traveling together for their holidays… Which got us thinking about a suggestion from Norway_girl on the forum:

Sounds easy enough, and it could be anything: a favorite attraction or viewpoint, or perhaps your preferred café? If you live in a big city, don’t be afraid to point out more unusual places, or something out of the beaten path.

So I’ll go first: if you ever visit Tavira, I would take you to see one of the oldest olive trees in Europe. It’s over 2000 years old, and still carries on bearing fruit, making shade, and putting our tiny human lives into perspective. 😊

What about you? What is special or unique about your hometown? Let others know on the postcards you send out this month!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too.

Everyone has a few dreams that they’re aiming to accomplish in their lifetime, right? They can be big or small or even a little crazy. For some, their dream could be to climb a big mountain, or to visit a special country… or maybe meeting the Queen!

Following this line of thought, July’s writing prompt comes from a suggestion that Sprinkledonut left on a blog comment:

Personally, I’m a serial list-maker and have so many plans on my bucket list that I don’t even know where to start. I want to eat all the egg dishes in the world, knit a temperature scarf, sleep on a mountain hut, see some of the fantastic places featured on the postcards I’ve received… I could write about a different goal on every single postcard this month, and I don’t think I would run out of crazy ideas. 😜

Whatever your dreams may be, they’re special to you for a reason. So we invite you to share something your bucket list and inspire others this month!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

We’re big fans of the “Think global, act local” motto, and though we don’t usually read newspapers these days, we still keep an eye on our local news online or through the town’s radio station. While the local headlines are definitely small-scale in the national or global context, the issues covered are interesting and offer a glimpse into the life of the region.

June’s writing prompt comes from Jetske's suggestion on the forum, which resonated with us:

So let’s see… at the time I’m writing this post, the headlines are focused on the prevention of forest fires before summer starts, a controversial new offshore drill off the coast of Algarve, as well as the local soccer team being promoted to the second tier championship over the weekend. Not terribly exciting stuff, but a mix of environmental concerns and entertainment which seems characteristic of our region. I could easily write a bit more about these topics.

What is concerning the people in your area at the moment? Let’s make the world a little smaller by sharing some of the local stories on our postcards this month!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

These days, music is everywhere in Europe as the continent gears up for the Eurovision song contest taking place soon. Millions of people throughout the world will be viewing the event and cheering for their favorite singers, and this got us thinking about a suggestion from Jetske on the forum:

So, what are your favorite singers or musicians from your country? What makes them special or dear to your heart? Writing about them is your mission for the month of May!

One national artist that we like here at the headquarters is called Rodrigo Leão. He’s an influential musician and songwriter in Portugal, whose best instrumental compositions can easily transport us to a different time and place.

Let’s share our musical heritage on the postcards we write this month… and hopefully finish the month with eclectic and multi-national playlists to write our postcards to!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too.

Of all the meals in a day, breakfast has always been my favourite. When I was a kid, it was mostly because of the chocolate milk and bread with marmelada (quince cheese) combo… but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the versatility of breakfast and experimented with other variations of this meal. So I’m very happy about this month’s writing prompt suggestion by ColorfulCourtney on the forum:

These days, I’m all about coffee and eggs. Omelets, scrambled, fried, poached… anything goes! If we’re feeling especially hungry, I’ll do a big pan of shakshouka and pair it with orange juice from the local farmer’s market. Paulo is a fan of fluffy croissants, but those are reserved for special days! 🙂

What about you? What’s your normal breakfast, and what would you consider a treat? Write about it on your postcards this month and feel free to illustrate it with a little drawing, if you feel so inclined. 🍳

Have a delicious month!