Do you have “penpals” How do you find them?

TinaM said:
I’ve always enjoyed communicating by letter (now email) and had penpals in the 80s and 90s. I wrote to some African children that I sponsored for their schooling and I also had a few prison penpals.

I find most of my days rather lonely with no family nearby and no close friends in the same state. I wouldn’t mind striking up some long distance friendships by mail. But how do you find someone?

My interests are reading, crafting, animals, nutrition, and interesting science topics. I hate talking religion or politics.

Any resources? Nowadays, I am very suspicious of the internet because there are so many scams so if you just search for penpal organizations, you really don’t know what you’re getting.
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It would be wonderful to be able to connect with people that way again. The internet is too risky, I think. Forums are nice, but I still feel the need to be extra cautious. Maybe you can start a new thread here… “Dear Pen Pals”

My guess is that you would be careful in a handwritten letter as well.

Still, some messages can be shared safely.

We are doing so now!

:)
 

Ontology Geek said:
It would be wonderful to be able to connect with people that way again. The internet is too risky, I think. Forums are nice, but I still feel the need to be extra cautious. Maybe you can start a new thread here… “Dear Pen Pals”

My guess is that you would be careful in a handwritten letter as well.

Still, some messages can be shared safely.

We are doing so now!

:)
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Good idea. I think since I no longer have a P.O. Box and would have to use my residence address, I might prefer email correspondence as opposed to snail mail.
 
TinaM said:

Do you have “penpals”​

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I've tried without success. I filled in the application, wrote down my "druthers" in the profile and sent it off. Not good:

1). I kept getting replies from young girls despite me distinctly writing that I wanted to communicate with people in my age bracket.

2). People seem to be more interested in writing a monologue rather than a dialogue. I responded to what they wrote about themselves so i followed up with questions pertaining to their situation and I also wrote about my own situation. They often responded as though they didn't read my post at all ..... not commenting on what I wrote about myself and not answering the questions I asked them. I mean, if someone writes "I went shopping today" I will ask them what they bought and I expect an answer. It’s not as though I really need to know what they bought ... but asking them is the civilized thing to do.

They are treating it like a Dear Diary.
 

Inept said:
I've tried without success. I filled in the application, wrote down my "druthers" in the profile and sent it off. Not good:

1). I kept getting replies from young girls despite me distinctly writing that I wanted to communicate with people in my age bracket.

2). People seem to be more interested in writing a monologue rather than a dialogue. I responded to what they wrote about themselves so i followed up with questions pertaining to their situation and I also wrote about my own situation. They often responded as though they didn't read my post at all ..... not commenting on what I wrote about myself and not answering the questions I asked them. I mean, if someone writes "I went shopping today" I will ask them what they bought and I expect an answer. It’s not as though I really need to know what they bought ... but asking them is the civilized thing to do.

They are treating it like a Dear Diary.
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BTDT
I think thats called a blog. :D
Thats enuf about me. What do you think about me. To quote Bette Midler. :D

Seriously. Sometimes IRL people feel like no one sees or hears them.
So when they find an ear everything theyve been storing up comes out.
 
Inept said:
I've tried without success ...... They often responded as though they didn't read my post at all ..... They are treating it like a Dear Diary.
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Veronica said:
I think thats called a blog.
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Yes, you're right.
Veronica said:
Sometimes IRL people feel like no one sees or hears them.
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Most of us do feel that way.
Veronica said:
So when they find an ear everything theyve been storing up comes out.
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... and in so doing create another person who "feels like no one sees or hears them".
 
I had a pen pal back when I was about 13. Some chick up in Massachusetts. Not for long however. I wrote this really stupid anti-Semitic letter to her thinking it would impress her. It didn't. And she never wrote back. Not my best moment. I had forgotten all about that. Wish you hadn't reminded me. Pretty embarassing to think about what a jerk I was. :(
 
Trade said:
I had a pen pal back when I was about 13. Some chick up in Massachusetts. Not for long however. I wrote this really stupid anti-Semitic letter to her thinking it would impress her. It didn't. And she never wrote back. Not my best moment. I had forgotten all about that. Wish you hadn't reminded me. Pretty embarassing to think about what a jerk I was. :(
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We were all young once.
 
OldOld said:
I don't have a pen pal. With online forums like this one, I can read and respond to many posts anytime. It's probably better than a pen pal. All the users here on the forum are my pen pal.
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Ruthanne said:
I used to have some but it seems we ran out of things to talk about.
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Ive never had a pen pal either. On my other forums I have the option of private messaging other members. I didnt see that option here.
On my own I do run out of things to talk about. Im a very boring person. :D

Forums are nice. Somebody is always coming up with something new and interesting. Although sometimes they do make me go hmmmm. :D
 
I just found a friend from when I was in my early 20's. He has become a medical doctor, living in NewEngland. We started writing each other a few months ago. That is 50 years to catch up by emailing each other every couple months! :)
 

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