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I'm curious if anyone here has a pen-pal? I'm talking about the kind where you actually write (or type) a letter and put it in an envelope and mail it?
If so, how did you find your pen-pal? How would you describe your relationship with the person? Have you ever met in real life?
I did have a penpal for quite a few years. It was a woman I met in Belfast, Northern Ireland who happened to be staying at the hotel I was at. She was from England and was separated from her husband and we seemed to hit it off and checked out some of the local pubs and various sights around town. We wrote quite a few letters and I still have the ones she sent me. What ended this situation was the fact that she eventually reconciled with her husband and didn't feel it would be appropriate to continue our correspondence. I had hoped that it might turn into a long term relationship but it wasn't to be.
My penpal experience was from many years ago before the internet. As TaoistDude mentioned email has pretty much become the norm except for sending birthday cards or something of that nature. It's much easier than writing a letter and you don't have to buy a stamp or go to the post office.
I did have a penpal for quite a few years. It was a woman I met in Belfast, Northern Ireland who happened to be staying at the hotel I was at. She was from England and was separated from her husband and we seemed to hit it off and checked out some of the local pubs and various sights around town. We wrote quite a few letters and I still have the ones she sent me. What ended this situation was the fact that she eventually reconciled with her husband and didn't feel it would be appropriate to continue our correspondence. I had hoped that it might turn into a long term relationship but it wasn't to be.
Aw thats too bad, but isnt that how it always usualy turns out?
Not sure if it counts, but I have a text-pal whom I've never met and lives a couple thousand miles away. I met her on another message board nearly seven years ago and we've been friends ever since. In fact, I'd say she's probably my best friend!
Thanks for the replies, I really enjoy hearing pen-pal stories.
I've had my pen-pal for about 7 years. He is a prisoner doing life under the CA three-strike law. I found him while doing online research on San Quentin for a project I was working on- a page with pen-pal ads came up and I was on the page long enough to see his ad. It was two lines and said he would like to hear from anyone who felt like writing because it would take his mind off the four walls he looked at everyday. To this day I'm not sure what prompted me to send him a letter. I wasn't searching for a pen-pal or anything like that, I suppose I just felt bad for the loneliness he felt. So I wrote - looking back my first letter was very generic and even awkward as I didn't know what to say.
In his response back to me he told me he had all but forgotten about the ad, that it was three years old and I was the only response. His first letter was a little awkward too, but it was clear to me he was trying his best and that getting a letter meant a great deal to him.
That was 7 years ago, and now I count him as a real friend. We write epic letters and I have learned so much from him. I eventually came to learn about his case and he sent me his whole case file -- it came in a box and I spent days going through all the pages and transcripts. I was astounded and shocked at the injustice. The three strike law s-u-c-k-s BAD. He had two drug convictions prior to the three strike law, then a very questionable theft case shortly after the law was enacted that was deemed his third "strike". I don't think I would have believed it if I didn't see all the files with my own eyes. I could write a book on that alone, but I won't bore everyone here on the relationship forum with those details.
Anyway- getting to know him has been a truly worthwhile experience. We discuss everything from politics to religion to current events, life's ups and downs, our families... just about everything including his life in prison which I think would blow most people away. I write at least once every two weeks, and when his letters come in the mail I love reading them. There is something about a handwritten letter that just goes deeper than email and texting and the sort of electronic communication we've all become used to.
I was able to get out to CA and visit him once about four years ago, and hope to go again sometime next year.
So that's a little bit about my experience. By the way, I'm not one of "those" women who look to hook up with bad-boy types. I'm happily married so this is all platonic. I felt like I should add that because sometimes people don't get why I would ever want to have a pen-pal in prison. But I know how it is
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