Keeping a Postcard Journal – Traveling abroad and experiencing a different culture can give you memories that last for a lifetime. There are many ways to bring those home. When I travel, the two most important items I bring with me are my camera and a journal.
Even though I will take many photos on my trip, I still like to keep a visual record in my journal that shows a sense of where I have been. Postcards can be an inexpensive and artistic way to do just that! I often buy a couple of carefully picked postcards and write a small detail of something experienced that day and then mail it home to myself. That way, I have the date, the postmark from that country and a memory to keep in my journal. Writing down anything you feel will always trigger the memory of that moment, no matter how mundane or crazy. Usually I take the time right before I fall asleep in the evening to prop a pillow up behind my back in bed, grab my journal and write little snippets or made up poems describing one of those moments in time.
Pick postcards that showcase the area, a local artist or a museum you might have visited on your trip. It is a pleasant surprise to receive them in the mail when you return home.
I will tuck them into the pages of my journal for safekeeping. Postcards are also great for miniature framed artwork to hang in a cluster on the wall.
All photography by Robyn Porteen