Hello, welcome, and thank you for being part of this first edition of
SlowLetters – Handwritten connections across Europe.
How did this idea come to life?
Over the years, I received a few letters from friends, but I had never really sat down to write one myself.
This summer, I started sending postcards again. And after such a long time without doing it, I realized that I enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing, but I also enjoyed waiting, imagining the journey of my letter, wondering when it would reach its destination.
I discovered that waiting can be beautiful too.
The first time, I kept checking the mailbox. Later, I relaxed and thought: it will arrive, there’s no rush.
Choosing a postcard, sitting down to write by hand, going to buy stamps (the first time felt strangely unfamiliar), looking for a mailbox. I had never really noticed where they were; I thought no one used them anymore.
Rediscovering this simple, slow gesture brought back a feeling I thought I had lost.
Shortly after, I read that in Denmark traditional postal services are close to disappearing. I found it deeply sad. That’s when it all began: the idea of creating something that could connect people beyond friends or family. A real, analog, unhurried connection between different corners of Europe.
That’s how SlowLetters was born.
However, not everyone, at this stage of life, can have a pen pal or commit to writing every month. That kind of commitment can feel heavy.
That’s why SlowLetters is not a traditional correspondence exchange. There are no fixed obligations. No pressure. You don’t even have to talk about yourself if you don’t want to.
The idea is simple:
each person shares something from their own country, their culture, their roots.
And, if they wish, they can also write about the place where they currently live, especially if it’s different from their city or country of origin.
Looking at what is ours with care. Putting it into words.
Because sharing our culture is a way of keeping it alive and of offering it to someone else.
Many people also speak or are learning languages other than their own. That’s why you can choose the language you write in and the language you’d like to receive your letter in.
Hopefully, one day we’ll be able to include all the beautiful languages spoken across Europe. For now, we’ll start with: English, Italian, Spanish, German, and French.
What can you write about?
You can write a letter or send a postcard.
The idea is to share fragments of who we are, so that someone in another country can discover something new.
For example:
- a traditional dish from your city
- a monument that feels meaningful to you
- a word from your language that stays with you
- a tradition, a celebration, a shared memory
- an important figure from your local history
- or the city where you live now, and how you experience it
Everything has value. If you choose to write about it, it’s because it matters to you.
And if you’re here, it’s because you know how to listen to what others have to share.
I’ll do my best to create thoughtful pairings.
I hope you can enjoy the gesture, the time… and the waiting.
Practical information
- From the 12th to the 15th of each month, I’ll share the form to sign up for SlowLetters.
- Once the form closes, you’ll receive privately the address of the person you’ll be writing to.
- I encourage you to send your letter or postcard within the following three days, so that letters arrive around the same time.
- Please keep in mind that postal delivery can take time (sometimes up to four weeks), but they do arrive 😊
- If you’re sending only a postcard, I recommend placing it inside an envelope to keep it safe.
This is the first time I’m organizing something like this, so thank you for your patience if adjustments are needed.
Any suggestions will be warmly welcomed.
I hope this will be the beginning of a slow, human, and beautiful community.
Thank you for being here.
A big hug,
Vero 🙂
