OFFICIAL Card - Taiwan

Ann is a 22 year old student studying at Fu Jen Catholic University. She writes that she graduates soon and is hoping to find a good job. She made the card herself - nice job!

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Yes, like most Postcrossers I do get many cards from Russia! Svetlana sent this card showing the Russian Academy of Justice, West-Siberian branch located in Tomsk. I couldn't find a good link so was happy that she included some details, including the fact that it was built in 1806 and first housed a library.

OFFICIAL Card - China

Censhi sent this pretty illustration showing Beijing Normal University in the Fall. Other than "May" in the lower left there is no indication who did this drawing. Thank you Censhi!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

The card Mary Lou and Greg sent me is neat. It is a little bit smaller than most - 3.5"x5.5" and is made of a really sturdy cardstock. The illustration shows the library at San Diego State University. They also used some great Christmas stamps - very much appreciated!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Helena sent this card from her hometown showing the University of Eastern Finland. Her note was nice and told me a fair bit about her, hobbies, likes, etc. In it she says she has terrible handwriting (I can relate) so she types it out on a sticker. Fine by me, this way she can say more by changing the font too. What do you think? Yeah or nay to typing your note, terrible handwriting or not?

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Today's postcard was sent to me from Tom. He is a professor at Lincoln University in Missouri. This card shows a statue honouring the soldiers who founded the school.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Carmen writes that she went to Berkeley and their biggest rival was Stanford. Love the vintage feel of this design.Several of the stamps are new to me and wonderful!

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Natasha lives in Tomsk, Russia and sent this card showing the Tomsk Polytechnic University, more specifically the Geology building. What a great view with the sun setting. Also love the stamp showing The Bear mascot from the upcoming Sochi Olympic Games.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Liz wrote this card to me from Arizona, on a day that was "very sunny and 110F" I think I would fry in that heat but I guess you would get used to it. She was having a great day and says Arizona State University is HUGE! She is hoping to make it to a game this year. Looks like it would be fun. The stadium holds 71,000 people - more than our professional football stadium in Toronto. It is HUGE!

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

This card showing Belgorod State University came to me from Olesya, Max and Dasha a young family from St Petersburg. They were visiting family in Belgorod and wrote that this was the first card they have sent to Canada. Kind of exciting! Do find cards to or from Canadian addresses to be common?

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Georgina lives in Seattle, Washington. She wrote to me saying she was listening to Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy trying to drown out her husbands snoring. Sometimes easier said than done as I well know! The card shows the McConnell Auditorium at Central Washington University.

OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

Betsie was born in Purmerend, Netherlands. She sent this vintage view card which shows a school that was around the corner from where she lived. She didn't say if she went there or not....some days I think I am too curious by nature! But I do wonder.

OFFICIAL Card - Taiwan

Chang lives in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and has been a Postcrosser for over 4 years. She is an elementary teacher working with students with learning disabilities. The view on the card she wrote is a school of special education. While the stamps are lovely they cover the name of the place and the way her text is worded it is not clear if this is the school she works at. To me it looks more like an office complex or apartments more than what is a typical Canadian school.

OFFICIAL Card - Poland

More views of Warsaw made their way into my mailbox this time compliments of Alicja. She lives there while studying for her PhD in psychiatry. The views show the Town Square and Gothic Town Hall, which is an UNESCO site. The University of Warsaw and the Town Square once again with St Elizabeth's church.

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Much has been written on the Postcrossing Forum about Touchnote cards. For the most part, when you do read about it people do not seem to like them, while there are few others who do. I think the biggest complaint is that people are having their address given out to a third party without their consent. Me, I don't sweat it too much as I don't even use my last name on Postcrossing so I feel like a needle in a haystack! This card is my first "Touchnote" card and to be honest I can't find any reason not to like it. Julia lives near the village of Kiel, in northern Germany. The view is of Humboldt Schule a high school in Kiel. When she wrote me it was snowing and she was watching the snowflakes. The card is a thick quality paper. The picture is "personal" meaning she chose it and it does match a wish list for me. The text is personal, yes, it is typed but I've received several typed postcards over the years (broken arm, arthritis, impersonal sticker). Lastly, it had no stamps just a metre from Guernsey. I too have had metered postage before and while not my fave let's face it do I really need another stamp like this to make it "better" - no. So, thank you Julia for showing me what all the fuss is about Touchnote. I think like everything else it all depends on the sender.

OFFICIAL Card - Austria

Franziska is studying Applied Geoscience at the University of Leoben in Leoben, Austria which is the view in the card she sent me.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

This view is of the University of California at Santa Barbara in you guessed it - Santa Barbara, California! Christi is a writer who works in the TV industry is originally from this city. She tells me she went to school at the local college - Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) which was even closer to the beach and they jokingly called it Santa Barbara Country Club. Being that close to the sand and surf would be a little distracting for me!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Another great card I received on Friday was this one from Jessica in Cary, North Carolina. She wrote telling me she had just returned from a 3 day trip to Toronto and that she loved the city. The card she sent shows the University of North Carolina which is about 35 minutes from her home.

OFFICIAL Card - Poland

I received this card on Friday from Jacek in Krakow, Poland. The card shows the Novum Collegium which houses the administrative departments of Jagiellonian University in his hometown. According to Wikipedia it is one of the oldest universities in the world having been established in 1364 and it is the oldest university in Poland. A great card coming to me at lightening speed - over 7000 kms in 4 days!

OFFICIAL Card - Poland

Remember this card I posted awhile back? Kind of neat that I also received a daytime view of the same city last May from Paulina, who lives just outside of Poznan. The middle left picture is of the Jesuit College and the lower left is the Imperial Castle.