Moving to a new city as an adult is not for the weak; I can tell you that firsthand. It’s tough to meet new people when you’re not in school, not into church, and working from home. Add all that up, and it can feel almost impossible.
People say the South has the friendliest folks, but I’d argue it’s more about being polite. Most people won’t be harsh to your face, but “friendly” the way we Californians know it? Not quite. You’re not going to get invited to someone’s party the same weekend you meet them, that’s for sure.
Because of this, in the almost three years I’ve lived here, I’ve had to get creative about meeting people. I joined a book club, signed up for a couple of local Facebook groups (even got myself kicked out of one for giving an opinion!), and stumbled upon Postcrossing – the real reason for this post.
Postcrossing is a website where people send postcards to strangers all over the world. Shortly after my move to Mobile, I signed up. If nothing else, I figured it would be nice to get a card from somewhere far away. Since joining on May 15, 2023, I’ve sent 231 postcards and received 230, from every continent. Some take months to arrive, and it’s sweet to imagine someone reading my profile, picking out a card just for me, and dropping it in the mail.
Every so often, a social butterfly organizes a “meet-up” for postcrossers, and last month I attended my first. It was in Fairhope, at the library across the bay. Honestly, it took all my courage to show up, but I’m glad I did. One of us even designed a postcard just for the occasion! We all signed it, and copies will be sent to postcrossers around the globe.
Why am I telling you this? Partly because I wanted to share pictures of our meet-up. But also to remind you: there are communities for almost every interest in the world. When you feel alone, you can find one to keep you going. Postcrossing has been that for me, and my walls are now covered with postcard art to prove it!
Tell about the south 