RM: Show Me Your City (Town, Village...) - Int'l

I really love where I live, and hopefully, you do too. I also love to visit, or learn about new places, no matter how large or small, but alas, finances preclude me from being the international jet set traveler I'd so love to be. With that in mind, let's show off our towns!

This is going to be a rather involved swap, so please ensure that you can meet the parameters before committing (this includes sending internationally).

For this swap, we're going to play tour guide for our partner, and include the following in a small parcel/bubble envelope:

• A letter introducing yourself and your city/town/village to your partner. Put some thought into this! Have you lived there all of your life or are you a transplant? What do you love about it? What do you hate about it? What sort of things are tourists missing out on while they congregate at the usual tourist trap spots? The letter may be typed or handwritten and should be at least 1.5 sheets (3 pages) of letterset or 1 sheet (2 pages) of standard 8.5x11 or A4 paper. Really think about where you live and share this with your partner.

Edited to Note: A few people have said that they're from places too small to have anything touristy like postcards. So, to make this a little easier for those of you in that situation, if your village or twon is in a region (like, for example, near Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, or in the White Mountains in New Hampshire) and you can find items to represent you region, then by all means, please do join. That's totally acceptable - but do write about your town or village as well in the letter.

• At least 2 blank postcards OR a magnet or keyring.

• A map of your city (or, if your city has a metro/subway, a map of that system is fine too).

• A small, profile based gift from a local shop (support your local, independent businesses!).

• No less than 5 photographs of your favorite places! (At least 5 different places, please - NOT 5 pictures of the same place). These can be anything - a restaurant, pub, cafe, pond, beach, mountain, hiking trail, park, cemetary, landmark, your own home or a room in your home, someone else's home...you get the picture! (Ohhhh, that was a pun not intended, sorry guys!)

In a Nutshell (see above for the detail of each):

• A letter describing, in detail, your city.

• 2 postcards or a keyring or a magnet (can include all 3 if you're feeling generous)

• A map of your city or metro/subway system

• A minimum of 5 photos (taken by you) showcasing your favorite places and spaces

• A small, profile based gift from a local area store

Administrivia

• One parcel to one partner

• Send on time, rate promptly upon receipt. If you're going to be late, please let both your partner and myself know. A reminder that flaking and not rating are both grounds for instant removal from this group. Hearts are entirely at the discretion of the rater. Late sends without communication are grounds for a 3.

• Send something you would be thrilled to receive. All items should be new (or in brand new condition if you like to stockpile maps, postcards, keyrings, etc.). Sending torn, dirty, old, smelly, pet hair covered items is grounds for a 3.

• If you are flaked on, please let me know. After you rate a 1, I will angel this swap and the flaker will be barred from the group.

• This swap may be started on before partners are assigned. You have until 20 October to send. And remember, no town is too small to share!