Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to view its answer.
- What is this project all about?
- The short answer is: we have created a collaborative platform for American “Berliners” to share their true stories. For the slightly longer answer, check out our introduction or read the blog.
- I live in a Berlin which is not on the list! Why is my Berlin missing?
- We have done the best research we can to include all the Berlins in America. If we missed your town let us know and we’ll add it! Once our fact-checkers verify its existence you’ll get an email from us letting you know it’s been added to the list.
- Can I participate if I don’t live in a Berlin?
- Sure! The only thing that matters is that the stories are personal and true and that they come from a Berlin. If you no longer live in a Berlin – or you never did – but something remarkable happened to you there, we want to hear about it. If you’ve never lived in a Berlin or visited a Berlin, you can still participate by adding worthwhile contributions to the stories on the site. Maybe something similar happened to you in your town, or you have an opinion to add to an active discussion; we want to hear from you too!
- What are the “stamps” for?
- Stamps are the virtual currency of Postcards from Berlin. When you sign up you’ll get 10 stamps (sign up before April 16th and you’ll get 20 stamps!) Sending a postcard costs you 1 stamp; contributing to another person’s postcard grants you a stamp. If you successfully invite a friend to participate you’ll get 5 stamps. And of course, if there is a postcard you particularly like, you can show your support and encouragement for that postcard by giving it a stamp of your own. Just click the big stamp icon beneath the postcard’s image or video. Eventually, when we’re ready to determine the best stories on the website, the postcards with the most stamps will be getting a generous share of our attention, so stamp wisely! And remember: all of the stamp-based exchanges on the website are permanent, just like with real postage.
- How come you only accept submissions as JPGs?
- JPGs tend to be the most common image format of most digital cameras and scanners. If you happen to have an image in another format you should be able to save a copy of your image as a JPG using most any desktop photo editing software.
- Why is (insert part of website here) broken/not working/looking unfinished?
- Please pardon our digital dust! We’re still in Beta. We’ve gotten this website online as quickly as possible and there are still some rough edges. If you encounter bugs please send us a message with a link to the page the bug occurred and a brief description of what happened. If you help us find a bug we didn’t already know about we’ll give you a stamp
- How can I help spread the word about the project?
- Tell everyone you know! Tweet, blog, share and link to us on all your favorite websites. Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Vimeo.
- Who’s behind this project?
- Postcards from Berlin is produced Gabriel Shalom and Patrizia Kommerell, founders of KS12, a creative studio based in Berlin, Germany. To learn more about our project team, see the About Us page.
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