“As a kid I had pen pals and it was always so exciting to get something in the post from a different country,” says Samantha.

“It would be a lot of effort now, but Postcrossing is a lovely way to get snippets from other people’s lives.”

The idea of Postcrossing, started by Portuguese student Paulo Magalhães 10 years ago, is to connect people through postcards, regardless of location, age, gender, race or beliefs.

“You get a card back for every one you send, and you never know what you’re going to get, or where it will be from,” says Samantha.

And it’s a case of the more random the better, according to the Postcrossing website.

“I’ve had cards from people as young as 12 through to elderly people, and from all over the place including Japan, the US, Russia and Germany,” she says.

“It’s fascinating what people choose to send and what they share with you.

“One American gentleman typed up his postcard, saying he had terrible handwriting, so he managed to fit a lot of information on there about his veggies and his new grandson. Others just write a brief greeting and that’s fine, too.”

Samantha says she loves the cultural snippets she receives, from tales of giant Alaskan cabbages to the Russian villages that decorate their windows with delicately carved wood.

“I love to tell people about Canberra’s nature parks and the hills, but also try to relate it to their hobbies if possible,” she says.

“It’s interesting though to get other countries’ views of Aussies; most people seem to reference our sense of humour.”

Sourcing unusual cards is part of the fun, Samantha says, as she’s found that in general people aren’t keen on tourist views, multi-views in particular, or the free advertising cards.

“It’s not easy to find good ones; perhaps they’re losing popularity with the internet. People throw them out nowadays, but I love snail mail,” she says.

Southside resident Samantha started postcrossing in November and says she’s still quite new at it, receiving around two postcards a week. She says that so far she’s sent 74 cards and received 72, and has been part of several private swaps through the site, from Russian film posters to pocket letters and travelling notebooks.

“I’ve a busy life so it’s relaxing on the weekend to sit down with a cuppa or pop to a cafe and write my cards,” she says.

“I like the sharing, and it’s lovely to get something other than bills in the post.”

Visit postcrossing.com for more information