Why slowing down, writing by hand, and sending postcards still matters in a digital world
Author: Yoyo Yip
After moving abroad for the first time at the exciting age of 13, I developed a habit every time I was travelling through different countries: I’d buy a postcard, write to myself about where I was and what I was feeling, stamp it, and send it “home”.
Sometimes it would beat me there, sometimes it would arrive weeks after I’d returned (or when I finally checked my mailbox!), regardless, the little time capsule that awaited me served as a beautiful reminder which I would stow away in a shoebox tucked neatly under my desk.
They’re not just postcards. Rather evidence of moments when I slowed down enough to notice where I was.
That’s what inspired The Postcard Project.
As someone who has had the immense privilege of being able to study abroad in – no less – three different countries, it has also come with the inevitable disadvantage of having all of my dearest friends scattered, much to my dismay, across the world. Whilst I truly appreciate the ability to video call my friends at the tip of my fingers, but oddly, somewhere in all that convenience, I felt a longing for a more intentional form of communication.
In the dependency of staying connected digitally, we’ve traded that magic for convenience. For instant messages that we type with one hand while doing three other things. For quick replies that get lost in endless threads. For the efficiency of communication without the intimacy of connection.
Why Postcards, Why Now
So the Postcard Project is our invitation to slow down together.
It’s a chance for women in our global community to connect in a way that feels different from everything else we do. Not through a screen. Not through an algorithm. Not through perfectly curated feeds or carefully crafted profiles.
Just through words on a postcard, traveling from one corner of the world to another.
Here’s what makes it special:
It’s tangible. You can hold it, display it on your fridge, tuck it into a journal, return to it months later. Unlike digital messages that get buried in inboxes or deleted to save space, postcards become keepsakes.
It’s personal. Someone chose that specific image. That specific postcard. They wrote in their handwriting – maybe messy, maybe beautiful, but undeniably theirs. They licked a stamp from their country and sent it on a journey to you.
It’s slow. And that’s the point. The postcard might take two weeks to arrive. Or four. Or six. There’s anticipation in the waiting. There’s no instant gratification, and that’s what makes receiving it so meaningful.
It’s intentional. You can’t dash off a postcard while standing in line at the grocery store. You have to sit down, think about what you want to say, write it carefully. That intention shows. It’s felt.
Some of you might remember having pen pals as children – that magical experience of receiving a letter from someone in another country, learning about their life, sharing yours. The Postcard Project brings that magic back, but with the depth and wisdom of the women we’ve become.
We’re not just sharing superficial updates. We’re sharing our journeys – the real ones. The messy, beautiful, challenging experiences of building lives across borders, between cultures, far from where we started.
What brought you to where you are today? What small moment changed something big? What does home mean to you now? What lesson are you learning in this season? What do you wish someone had told you?
These are the kinds of conversations we’re inviting. Not rushed. Not shallow. Thoughtful exchanges between women who understand what it means to live beyond borders.
How It Works
Here’s what The Postcard Project looks like in practice:
- Sign up and tell us a bit about yourself – where you are, what you’re navigating, what you’d love to share or learn.
- Get matched with another WBB woman from a different location. We’ll send you her details along with optional prompts to inspire your writing.
- Create your postcard. Choose one that represents where you are – maybe a local landmark, a beautiful photograph, something uniquely yours. Or make your own if you’re feeling creative.
- Write with intention. This isn’t about being profound or perfectly eloquent. It’s about being honest. About sharing something real. Take your time. Let it be whatever wants to come out.
- Add your touches. Maybe you include a small sticker. A pressed flower. A tea stain (intentional or otherwise). A little doodle in the corner. These imperfect, personal touches are what make it yours.
- Send it off and wait. Check your mailbox with a little more excitement than usual. And one day, there it will be – a postcard with your name on it, traveled from across the world.
What This Isn’t
This isn’t about perfect handwriting or poetic prose. It’s not about having the prettiest postcard or the most profound insights.
It’s not a competition or a performance. You’re not writing for an audience.
It’s just you and another woman, sharing a moment across distance. That’s all!
An Invitation
I can’t promise that this project will change your life. But I can promise that it will give you a moment of quiet in a loud world. A tangible connection in a digital age. A chance to slow down and be present with your thoughts and with another person’s story.
Maybe, like those postcards I sent to myself years ago, the one you receive will become something you keep. Something you return to when you need to remember that you’re part of something bigger than yourself. That there are women all over the world on similar journeys, carrying similar questions, building similar courage.
Or maybe it’ll just make you smile on a random Tuesday when you check your mailbox.
Either way, I think it’s worth the price of a postcard and a stamp.
The Postcard Project sign-ups are open until February 9th, 2026.
All you need is €2.50-5/£2.50-4.50 for a postcard and international postage, and the willingness to slow down long enough to write something real.
Let’s fill the world with little letters that travel further than we do.
With love and anticipation of checking my mailbox,
Yoyo
P.S. If you participate, I’d love to hear about it. What postcard did you choose? What did you write about? Did your hands remember how to write with a pen, or did they protest after years of typing? Let us know! 💌
WBB: Women Beyond Borders 
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