It’s Time to Find a Pen Pal
As the fever at home kicks in and pajama pants become our daily wear, everyone tries to find ways to communicate, but distancing themselves. For some of us, Zoom calls, FaceTime sessions, and social media have kept us in touch with the people closest to us, and that’s all that matters. But for those of us who love to stay in touch with the outside world while traveling, the joy of meeting new people and exploring different cultures seems out of reach.
Well Disappointed Travelers: Now is a great time to find an international penpal.
Benefits of an International Pen Friend
Not every day the entire world experiences the same devastation at the same time. Having an international pen pal is a great way to share your feelings with someone who fully understands what you are going through. This is the time when someone from Milan and someone from New York can share a common experience.
You can also, of course, learn about a new culture. You may have been planning to visit Argentina one day, but your travel plans were thwarted. With the help of a pen pal, you can better understand the country and plan where to go in the future. You can learn about interesting customs, taste the best dishes, and even practice a foreign language. In return, you can tell your pen friend about your culture and help him a little with their English.
Where to Find an International Penpal Friend
Social media has been one way for people to meet other people around the world, but randomly texting people you don’t quite know to start a pen-pal relationship can feel a little creepy. Fortunately, platforms exist to help you find a penpal with guarantees that will make all interested parties feel comfortable and welcome.
InterPals
This site allows you to become virtual pen pals with people from all over the world. With InterPals, you can also exchange language with someone who speaks the language you want to learn or brush up on. Just click on the language you want and native speaker profiles will open.
PenPal World
By creating a free account at PenPal World, you can meet people from all over the world. You are provided with your own virtual mailbox and, like Facebook, you can add friends to your profile. In addition, PenPal World provides security measures to flag any suspicious activity and make communication more comfortable.
Postcrossing
Using this site is a great way to satisfy your wanderlust. On Postcrossing, people can send postcards to each other from anywhere in the world. This site has about 800,000 users from 280 countries.
Have fun, but take precautions
Unfortunately, not everyone will be what they say they are, so it’s important to take precautions as you enter the world of pen-reading.
Never share your residential address with strangers
If you have a post office box, use it. Otherwise, for your own safety, it is better to use pen pals email. Better yet, create a new email address to use exclusively with your pen pals.
Don’t send money to anyone
Beware of those with whom you correspond, who ask for money. If you would like to help someone financially, donate to a reputable organization or foundation. And never, ever share your banking or financial information.
Use the Lock, Mute, and Delete options as needed
No one deserves to be harassed, humiliated, or otherwise treated with negativity. Fortunately, platforms allow you to keep as much of these things out of the way. Whenever possible, report this person and their activities to the website or social media to keep others safe by including your own.