Pen pals as a kid?

deb

This is the only online forum I have ever participated in but it reminds me of when I was a child and had pen pals. Do kids even have pen pals anymore? I had several for years at a time and I met my first husband through a friend by letter. We wrote back and forth for several years before I actually met him in person. This forum brings back fond memories of those times. Knowing somebody through the written word, much like my beloved books, gives me the opportunity to experience a person without visual misconceptions. I wonder if the acceptance experienced here at YLF would be the same if we were all talking face-to-face.

13 years ago

Off Topic

3 replies

Latest reply was from Echo

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I had a pen pal when I was young for many years; she was a girl in Japan. We used to swap coins and stamps and stickers! It was so exciting to get a letter!

I was also a pen pal for a few years with a guy from work I ended up dating for a little bit - I think I still have most of the letters. They are silly and talking about school, and the time he delivered a litter of kittens (he was training to be a vet).

I also currently have a pen pal - she's a girl in Grade 10 who is a friend of a friend who wanted to write letters. We draw each other silly pictures.

I think YLF is sort of like having TONS of pen pals; but it's more instant gratification. No more waiting 14 days for Yokiko to reply :p

13 years ago

anne

Veteran

I had a German pen pal for a while in High school - we petered out after a few years.

For a little while I was an extremely lengthy correspondant to a guy I met from interstate at astudent conference.

Also DH and I were (only going out at the time) in different countries for 5 months and before he got email (which I didn't have at home) I wrote copious letters to him.

My girls and the children of another YLF forum member have written some (snail mail) letters back and forth.

13 years ago

Echo

Veteran

I had a penpal from Madagascar for a number of years, but that ended when she went for her mandatory military service (understandably so). My kids have pen-pals, but they are not international. Indeed, they are from a neighboring school district. It isn't as good as international pen pals, IMO, because it eliminates the cultural differences, but it does encourage them to write more (which was always the intent of a pen pal through school anyway). And they get to meet their pen pal at the end of the school year when both classes attend a party in the park neighboring the school, which seems to encourage them to write even more. I am glad they are doing it, as I feel that the written language - especially letter writing - is becoming lost among text speak, spell-check, etc. I think it is good for them to have to craft sentences and spell without the aid of a computer or technology..

13 years ago

Category