New Sites That I've Become A Part Of

Recently, I thought about how it might be fun and interesting to have a penpal. I absolutely love to receive things in the mail, so it would be very fitting. I also thought about sending postcards as well. These are the websites that I decided to join:


Postcrossing.com.





This site, after you join, has you click a "Send Postcard" button and randomly chooses a person, that has also signed up for the site, from around the world for you to send a pc to. At first you can only click that button five times, indicating five different people, until you have sent twenty pc's. After that the number of how many pc's you can send increases by one. Here is the chart:


0-19 = 5 postcards
20-39 = 6 pc's
40-59 = 7 pc's
60-79 = 8 pc's
80-99 = 9 pc's
100 - 149 = 10 pc's
150 - 199 = 11 pc's
200 - 249 = 12 pc's
And so on in increments one postcard for each fifty you send. 


Each time you click the "Send Postcard" button you are then entered into the system to receive them. This means that someone else in the world will end up sending a postcard to you. The site assigns each postcard an ID number that the member must write on the pc before mailing it. This allows the person who receives it to enter it into the system so that it is marked received. The only time your address is visible is when you are randomly assigned to a person, and even then it is only visible to them. 


The site is really easy to use and to understand. I have sent my maximum of five pc's out, but have not received any yet since I've only been there for a little over a week now. 


Swap-bot.com





This site allows you to check out everything about it before you join. Each swap is user created, so there are many different categories of swaps. Filling out your profile well on that site is highly recommended; almost required. At first you can join up to five swaps. There is also a "Watchlist" that keeps track of the swaps you are interested in. Swaps can either be regional or international as well, so make sure you check that out beforehand. After each swap is completed you rate your partner either a one, three, five, or a five with a heart. The last one is the best rating, and the one is obviously the worst. The swaps range from being electronic to envelopes to packages. I've decided to not participate in package swaps for now since I don't really have the packaging materials for them and do not wish to spend too much money. 


Interpals.net





This site allows you to search for penpals and friends. Whether you want to correspond via snail mail or email is up to you. After joining the site you have a profile that you can fill out and are allowed to post pictures as well. You also have a "Wall" (like Facebook) where people can post messages to you. They do give you the option to block people if you are being harassed and if someone's profile is inappropriate there is a "Report to Moderator" button. 

Besides just the profiles they also have a chat and a forum. I am mainly in the forum since it's a good way to waste time. Be aware that you may piss some people off with your posts. 


I have only been apart of these three sites for a little over a week now. They all seem to be pretty good though, but make sure that if you get involved with the swapping sites that you go through with each swap you join completely. 


I'll most likely have updates when I really start swapping and receiving things.