Postcrossing Blog

Stories about the Postcrossing community and the postal world

Blog > Postcrossing Spotlight: nboliveira from Brazil

  icon

Natan (aka nboliveira) is one of the top (and earliest) users in Brasil. He likes travelling (both in real life and through the postcards he receives) and marvelling at the collection of stamps on his local philately shop.
Here is what he had to say:

What is your name, age and location?

My name is Natanael but everybody calls me Natan. I’m 44 years old and I live in the capital of Brasil, the city of Brasília which has an unique modernist architecture designed by Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer. It’s a planned city inaugurated 60 years ago and an Unesco World Heritage Site for its architecture. I work at a telecom and recently started studying Law to be a lawyer in the future.

nboliveira
How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I’ve exchanged postcards since I was a child but when the internet was invented, I thought this hobby was over. In 2005 I read in the newspaper Estadão.com about the project of Paulo Magalhães from Portugal and his idea of sharing an old hobby using that new technology. I registered immediately but I didntt expect it to work out because I didn’t know that many people who would like to receive postcard this old fashioned way. Since then, six years have passed and I’m very proud to be one of veteran members of Postcrossing.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

I like listening to music especially lounge, bossa nova, and songs from the 80's, watching movies at home and going out with friends. Another passion is travelling, knowing different places and, of course, buy postcards from these places. Friends who travel with me already know – if I disappear, just ask where is the nearest store of postcards is! :)

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!
post office in brasilia

The post office where i usually send postcards is also a philatelic store and I like go there because I can choose stamps from their huge collection and talk a little with Aurea, a friendly postal worker who is also passionate for postcards and stamps.

boxes to store postcards

I keep my postcards in boxes like this. It’s not too organized but i like it bcause I can see postcards randomly and not for specific or preferred countries.

changing the wallpaper to a nice postcard

I also like to use some of my favourites to change the picture in my mobile phone.

conversation starters

And I put some on the table of my living room to show to my friends and family when they come home to visit me. You may notice that these postcards are in general of famous people and historical places… it’s a sure way to hook visitors and start a conversation about Postcrossing!

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

On my favourites, you can see that I really like sunsets and nature scenes, perhaps because I was born in a city of the Amazon region in Brazil. So guess I have a strong relation with nature. About my favourites, I should say that each postcard received is special on its singular message, images and stamps. But I’ll show three of them.

FR-65979 and FI-1130539

First, on the left, there is one that came from France (FR-65979) and I like it because for me represents the real spirit of Postcrossing: a world that share a hobby without frontiers of cultures, religion, language, social condition or politics. The second, came from Finland (FI-1130539) with an amazing sunset that I like so much. At last, one from China (CN-27229), I like this for its spiritual significance.

CN 27229 (Photo by Zhu Qiliang)
What is it your favorite part of the Postcrossing process?

The best part is the happiness I feel when I open my mailbox. I always smile of joy :) I specially love it when i see that someone saw my favorites and sent a postcard that I like. I always try to do the same because I know that in another part of world there will be another postcrosser with a smile on his/her face because of the postcard I sent.

Have you been surprised by any place that you have received a postcard from or sent a postcard to?

Receive postcards from countries like Iran, Pakistan and Brunei with isolated regimes has surprised me. On the other hand that’s good because I noticed that Postcrossing is an universal way of communication.

tags: ,

35 comments so far

Blogger, United States of America

great article! I like the postcards you have on your desk :D

on
lucymonty, United Kingdom

Your post officer worker looks friendly :-) Great idea to use your favourite cards as wallpaper on your phone!

on
Luziaceleste, Brazil

many ideas to multiply the effect of happyness when we gat the postacrd!
thanks for sharing them with us.

on
marica_t, United States of America

Hmm, I might have to use photos of my postcards as phone wallpapers too :D

Wonderful article!!

on
isagv, Germany

I also like this spotlight very much. :) Congrats for being in the spotlight Nathan. :)

on
wwwera, Israel

Oh, I see my Jerusalem sunset postcard in the middle of the table - what a pleasure :)))) I am proud you like it, Natan :)) Nice to meet you here, in PC blog!

on
itigomina, Brazil

Hi,I´m from Brazil, too and since I started postcrossing for over one year I do have this same feeling when I open my mailbox, it´s so exciting!
I love China´s postcard you chose, so beautiful and peaceful.Happy Postcrossing!Gostei muito do seu post!

on
aberline, Australia

great spotlight and you've received some amazing cards!

on
monsoon, China

Great to read about this! What an achievement! There are many places of interest in China. Share good things together!

on
edo, Spain

Hi! Greetings from Spain. Many thanks for to share with all of us your post place... Hugs!

on
ebreah, Malaysia

Greetings from Malaysia. I just sent a card like the one you used for your wallpaper :)

on
al-etc, Finland

Wow! Such an intresting spotlight!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and (oh, god, yes!) postcards which I found absolutely sensational!
Best of luck in receiving even greater cards from all coreners of the world!

on
manojkamat1857, India

@Lucymonty actually all post office staff are good usually young employees are very helpful rather than old.

This article is great effort .. @Ana Thanks

on
kazinhabueno, Brazil

Great interview, congrats! Natan is a really cool postcrosser :D

on
elainevaleria, Brazil

So interesting!

on
nadineP, United Kingdom

hello, it is such a pleasure to receive postcards!
I took this hobby up after becoming housebound due to disabilities,a friend told me about it, and its an amazing truly amazing world,
I would love to send you a card if you wish to revive one form me in the UK.then let me know.
Your post above are so interesting to read,
I have a crafting room and in there i am making a wall with cork boards on to hang all my cards up, my teenagers gain pleasure from this to and all read the cards when they arrive..take care and happy postcrossing .Nadine

on
nowaglas, United States of America

Congrats on the spotlight! It was interesting to read!! Happy Postcrossing!

on
corinamargarita, Argentina

I can see a postcard from Buenos Aires Argentina!!! That's amazing!
I love all the postcards you have in your desk...

happy postcrossing! let's share joy!

on
rosenbusch, Germany

A very interesting spotlight. Thank you, Natan...

on
zasa, Switzerland

a cool postcrosser and one of the veterans from older times :D hugs!

on
dandilion, Netherlands

Your description of postcrossing is just lovely!

on
tamstertje1989, Netherlands

Very nice to read this article. :)

on
luiseme, Spain

Besides being a perfect knowledge and guide of your country, I see you are also a great newspaper. Thank you for your report.

on
rosejoy, Australia

Very interesting, thanks for sharing Natan!

on
Ladcraig, United States of America

very neat!

on
FloridaGirl, United States of America

Natan, that is a great interview. Good to see you on the Spotlight.

on
lieselgrobler, South Africa

Very interesting, thanks for sharing Natan!

on
Charlie_Dale, Malaysia

Wow! on one picture here it show you used Malaysian postcard as your mobile phone backgroud.its awesome!

on
pucky, Netherlands

So nice to read this! The 3 cards are amazing indeed!

on
jrbastos, Brazil

Parabés, como brasileiro apoio esta ideia!!!!

on
LASeagles, United States of America

Photographing a postcard to use as the backdrop on your phone is brilliant! I bet I could do that with a digital photo of a card for the desktop of my computer. Love that you display your cards across the table!

on
alexandrediniz, Brazil

As mina pira nos brasileiros! kkkkkkk

on
LuisMoret, Venezuela

Hola desde Venezuela, muy interesante el artículo y las postales están super!. Recibe un saludo cordial desde Caracas

on
damiao, Brazil

Também achei muito interessante,parabéns,você tem uma excelente coleção.Congratulations!You have a beautiful collection.

on
artofdreams, Portugal

Fiquei muito feliz ao ler sua entrevista,Natan!
Abraço do Brasil pra ti...=)

on

Back to top