In a cozy corner of Cagayan de Oro City, where coffee and conversations flow freely, a group of passionate individuals gathered at Higalaay Café on July 12, 2025. Their mission? To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Postcrossing (July 14), a global postcard-sending project that continues to spark joy across borders and generations — even in this fast-paced digital age.
Postcrossers from Iligan City, Malaybalay City, and Cagayan de Oro came together for the Northern Mindanao Postcrossing Meet-up, carrying with them postcards, washi tapes, stamps, and stories. It wasn’t just about the exchange of cards — it was about connection, culture, and community.
Postcrossing (www.postcrossing.com) is a platform where people from around the world send and receive postcards from random strangers. But ask any Postcrosser, and they’ll tell you it’s more than just mail. It’s a tangible way of traveling the world one postcard at a time. And for many, it has become a comforting ritual: choosing the perfect card, writing a heartfelt message, affixing a stamp, and dropping it into the mailbox with anticipation.
At the meet-up, there were laughter and lighthearted chats, a swap of tips and stationery, and, of course, the signing of commemorative meet-up postcards specially designed for the occasion. As the host city, Cagayan de Oro was proudly featured on the official postcards.
One design showcased the iconic Water Tower, originally built in 1922, which was later transformed into the City Museum of Cagayan de Oro and Heritage Studies Center in 2008. This photo was beautifully captured by local photographer Tom Udasco.
Another postcard featured a composite image of two beloved CDO icons — the Water Tower and a motorela, a uniquely Kagay-anon mode of transportation. This was a creative collaboration using images by Elson Elizaga (Water Tower) and Tom Udasco (motorela), brought together digitally through Microsoft Copilot.
These postcards were more than just souvenirs — they were love letters to the region. For those who will receive them across the globe, each one is a window into the heart of Northern Mindanao: a glimpse of its heritage, creativity, and everyday charm.
As one of the participants put it, “There’s something deeply joyful about receiving a handwritten postcard. It tells you someone paused in their day to think of you.”
That joy is what continues to fuel the hobby, even in an era of instant messaging. Postcrossing encourages mindfulness, cultural appreciation, and a sense of global kinship. And in places like Northern Mindanao, it also fosters pride in local identity — each postcard is a storyteller, each sender a quiet ambassador.
For many attendees, this meet-up was a moment to reflect, reconnect, and recommit to a hobby that has survived the test of time. Some even shared how their postcard collections were affected by life events — yet they return to the hobby with renewed purpose, ready to build new memories, one card at a time.
In celebrating 20 years of Postcrossing, we are reminded that the joy of sending and receiving postcards is not just nostalgia — it’s a celebration of human connection. And for the postcard—loving souls in Northern Mindanao, the young and the young at heart, it’s also a way to show the world who we are and where we come from.
For those who want to connect digitally with postcrossers around the Philippines and know more of this hobby, aside from joining the official website, you can also join the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/PostcrossingPhilippines.
About the author:
Rᴜʙʏ Cᴀʙᴇʀᴛᴇ
Blogger. Freelancer. Teacher. Trainer.
Ruby Caberte is a seasoned content creator and blogger with a passion for storytelling rooted in faith, family, and culture. A proud Kagay-anon, she enjoys writing about places, people, and purposeful living. She has been an active Postcrosser since 2011, fueled by a love for postcards, museums, and meaningful connections. Ruby also explores topics on midlife growth, solo travel, and lifelong learning.
