Postcards, though tangible objects, have something in common with internet communication. When we read a postcard, we can't see the sender's face, observe body language, or pick up on other cues we use in face-to-face communication. Postcrossing presents an added challenge: we often don't know the person who sent the card. As might be expected, miscues in communication are bound to happen from time to time. Of course, many people who participate in Postcrossing do not have English as a first language and that adds another potential problem. According to the website's rules, all communication (both on the profiles on the site itself and the written cards) should be done in English. That isn't to say that any two people who have a language in common cannot correspond in that language, but it does mean that someone should not write in Japanese to a person who only speaks English.

I have not received a postcard written in a language I could not understand, but I have received several that show that there was a breakdown in communication on some level.Here are a few examples:

My profile used to say that I like chocolate. What I was expecting was something like this:

I also got this: 

I can't fault the sender for this card. It is chocolate. It just isn't an artfully done photograph, which is the image I had in mind.

I like odd, quirky things. This card aligned with my interpretation of "quirky."

This one is certainly odd, but ...

Again, this sender obviously read my profile and tried to send something I would find amusing. I put these two up together to illustrate a very subtle point. Obviously, showing a good deal of skin isn't the problem. Neither image is "pretty." Why do I think the top one is funny and amusing, yet I am not fond of the second one? The photo quality has something to do with it; the nearly neon red text on the bottom photo says "cheesy" to me and the background is very muddy looking. The top photo also came with an interesting story. The sender, a Canadian living in Singapore, took the photo at a mall in Macau and had it made into a postcard. I've exchanged several cards with this person (though this one was my first card from her) and she and I obviously have a similar interpretation of quirky and a similar aesthetic. 

I also really like elephants. I received this card: 

The card makes me feel sad. This baby elephant looks like he is in a dark, stark enclosure. The lighting is somber and the baby elephant does not look robust or happy. The sender thought a baby elephant would be perfect for me and, obviously, the photo did not cause the same type of reaction in her. 

The person who sent me this card writes: "I always find it very difficult to find the right card. So now I only send cards I like to receive. It's easier for me that way." I suppose that's one way to handle things. At least it's honest!

There is also a problem when constructing a profile. If lists are kept rather generic, there is a greater chance of a miscommunication. If I say I like elephants, I could get a photograph of an elephant, a cartoon elephant, a painting of an elephant, and so forth. If the profile is very specific: "I like elephants, but only photographs taken by professional photographers of elephants in the wild," the profile can be interpreted as being picky. I have tried to find a balance between generic and specific and hope for the best. Surprisingly, I am seldom disappointed.

I post these cards not to say that the senders sent me bad cards, but to show that expectations and interpretations are very subjective. It would be naive of me to think that every postcard I've sent has been loved by every recipient. Every postcard comes with several acts of interpretation. Sometimes those interpretive acts don't quite mesh. Part of the differences in interpretation may be due to language issues, but the "Two Amigos" card was sent to me by someone from the U.S., so that isn't all of it. Issues of taste and preference also come into play.