A postcard from Argentina
A Postcard from Argentina
Often when talking about memories, we comment on how easily they can fade. This “gradual disappearance” made an appearance recently, surprising me as it slid out of the bottom flap of my letterbox. It was not a memory that my fingers gripped but a postcard, complete with handwritten message and two stamps, colourful and perforated.
In the 18 years I’ve been working with foreigners at an English language institute, I know just what a common occurrence it used to be to see students writing out their postcards during lunch breaks. How often was I asked about the postage costs to Germany or how long it took a card to reach its destination? I haven’t had to answer such questions in years, ever since emails and SMSes evolved from a technophile's toy to a worker’s tool.
My own letterbox has also been affected by this transition. When once it was honoured to be a temporary custodian to these 4 x 6 inch souvenirs from afar, it is now suffering the ignominy of being force fed super-sized junk mail.
So here I am in possession of a dying breed of correspondence; this particular curio displays a collection of Argentinean silver mates (a receptacle for brewing and drinking a beverage that is popular locally). One day, will the card I am holding be as valuable as the items it displays? For now, it is my own little treasure, with its worth further enhanced by the thoughtful words inked out on the reverse.