{"id":2101,"date":"2015-10-02T12:04:14","date_gmt":"2015-10-02T11:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/?p=2101"},"modified":"2021-08-11T16:12:27","modified_gmt":"2021-08-11T15:12:27","slug":"pen-pal-as-an-adult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/writing\/letter-writing\/pen-pal-as-an-adult\/","title":{"rendered":"Why & How to Have a Pen Pal As an Adult"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many of us, our \u2018pen-palling\u2019 journey started and ended at primary school, when our teachers organised for us to exchange a letter with a child in another school. In my case, we each sent a Christmas card to an allocated child in a class in France. This was when I was 10 years old, and not one of us continued the friendship. Come to think of it, I don\u2019t recall it being particularly encouraged.<\/p>\n

For those of us where a continuation was encouraged, most will have stopped after a short while. Some of us may have written to other pen pals as we got older, but generally, as we work on studying, building our careers, having children, or chasing our dreams, writing to a pen pal becomes seen as less of a priority. ‘Real life’ takes over, and we prioritise in a way which categorises writing to a pen pal as unimportant – ‘after all’, some may ask themselves, ‘what would I get out of it’? Read on…<\/p>\n

Why write to a pen pal?<\/h2>\n

Communicating with a penfriend can be so rewarding, it really is worth considering \u2013 whatever stage of life you are at, and however busy your life is. Writing can be very therapeutic; studies have shown that writing about thoughts, feelings and events, gets the writer deeply\u00a0involved, meaning you forget about your daily frustrations. Even better than that, writing in an emotional manner can help you address any issues you may have, and the narrative you create helps you to deal with and then forget the event that has been bothering you.<\/p>\n

When you open communications with another individual, you can not only share with them \u2013 perhaps things you may not want to share with those closer to you \u2013 \u00a0but you can also learn all about them, their lives, their passions, their frustrations, and their culture. There is something really special about someone taking the time to write and send you a handwritten letter, and I feel like you connect in a way quite unlike any other. Also, who doesn’t love coming home to find a lovely, handwritten envelope on their doormat? So exciting.<\/p>\n

In case you need another reason, it is also a good excuse to frequently use your favourite pens!<\/p>\n

Inland or international?<\/h2>\n

This is entirely up to you, as it depends what you are wanting from your friendship; international pen-palling means longer gaps between letters, and possible language barriers. On the flip side, you learn all about another culture and country, and you could help your friend with English, or they could teach you some phrases in their native language. It\u2019s a personal choice, in the same way as the age\u00a0or gender of your new friend might be.<\/p>\n

How to find a pen pal<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a pen pal, you could volunteer with a charity such as The Silver Line<\/a>, who match you with a lonely older person who would like to exchange letters. \u00a0If this isn\u2019t for you, there are many websites dedicated to pen-palling \u2013 the largest of which being Pen Pal World, and Interpals. These sites require you to sign up and create a profile, and you can then search for the type of person you would like to get in touch with. You start communication through the website, and then you can take it offline whenever you feel comfortable.<\/p>\n

First letter tips<\/h2>\n

It can be daunting when you sit down to write your first letter to a new pen pal. What do you write about when you don’t know the recipient? Below are a few helpful tips to help you get started:<\/p>\n