Virtual Pen-palling on Medium!
Connecting around the world in 2024
If you were a child of the ‘80s-’90s, you probably had an English class that gave you an international pen pal.
You chose which country they would be from.
Then, you wrote. With a pen and paper.
Typing was only for reports or computer labs.
You included your school year’s picture.
Then, after a couple of weeks, you received your first letter. Friends in class would share the contents, smile at the pictures, and learn about other cultures.
Some students continued long after the assignment and wrote their penpals for months and even years.
I was one of those students. And my pen-palling hobby grew to over 150 pen pals from 32 countries.
Quick Background
For those unfamiliar with the term, penpals are two strangers who get to know one another through writing letters. In many ways, it is like journaling but receiving communication back.
