A Pen Pal Can Provide A Creative Outlet

People are looking for social and creative outlets now more than ever. Finding a pen pal has been around for a long time, but is often forgotten about or overlooked. It can even be considered a dated practice. That being said, many of the exciting and enjoyable activities of the past are experiencing a renaissance of late. The benefits to a pen pal are vast. Actually writing down thoughts, connecting with a total stranger, and ejecting from the fear of judgment is freeing, and, some have found, necessary. Anyone can adopt this practice, and those who do often grow into better and more whole people. They more easily embrace their day-to-day lives by having that outlet and connection with a person on the outside. It’s amazing what people can learn about themselves through a friendship with a truly unbiased party.

Finding a Pen Pal

Many school teachers integrate a pen pal unit into their lessons to help students with both their writing and their social skills. Usually this just consists of fellow educators from different schools or states connecting their students and pairing them together. As an adult looking for a pen pal, it is obviously not this simple. Thankfully, the Internet is a defining aspect of society, and it can be used to find someone to write to, whether it’s online or with pen and paper. There are so many websites that specifically exist to find a penpal. International Pen Friends, Pen Pal World, and Penpals Now are all excellent examples that anyone can utilize to find someone that suits them. Perhaps the most exciting and interesting part about these sites is that they connect people from all over the world. Whether it’s a neighboring state or across an ocean, everyone can find a friend.

International Pen Pals

Having a pen pal that lives in a different country has its pros and cons. The pros include learning and experiencing a new culture without the expenses of travel. Obviously, talking to someone from Moscow will not be the same as experiencing the city first hand, but it will always lend itself to an experience that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. Many people also choose to connect with people from other countries to help prepare them for a trip abroad. Finding someone to educate and inform before a pilgrimage can vastly change an experience from culture shock to sheer awe and appreciation.

Cons for an international pen pal can go hand in hand with the pros. For example, while it is a wonderful education tool to experience and converse with someone of a different background and culture, it can also lead to difficult interactions. Consider language barriers, religious disagreements and potential political opposition. All of these are things that people face in their own culture and are met with adversity. Experiencing that with someone of a different culture can be even more difficult to understand or accept. However, while it’s not for everyone, more often than not, the positives of an international pen pal vastly outweigh the risks or the negatives.

Conversation Topics With Your Pen Pal

Perhaps the best thing about the relationship between two pen pals is the freedom to talk about whatever they want. There are no rules in this relationship. Or rather, there are no rules that are not established solely by them. That freedom can be overwhelming, and often results in not knowing where to start. If they find themselves lost or intimidated by what to say, there are a few topics that are easy to breach and will lead to organic conversation.

1. What is their background? Culture, race, age, family, jobs, etc. Finding out their back-story can be extremely rewarding and informative.
2. Why did they decide to become a penpal? It’s the most obvious question, but it is often overlooked. Both people in this relationship entered into it willingly and by their own choices. This is a wonderful place to start, and an excellent way to connect and instantly find common ground.
3. Why did they choose a pen pal from the country, state, region, etc. that they did? More often than not, people look for a pen pal from a place they are interested in or want to discover. Both parties can bond and thrive within their shared interest in each other’s lives.