How to Make Pen Pals

Modern-day pen pals can use the Internet rather than casting bottles into the sea

When it comes to making a new pen pal, you may find yourself conjuring up a romantic notion of a person tossing a bottle into the ocean with a note inside intended for some distant shore. Someone then finds the bottle and an instant friendship is struck up between these two former strangers. Likewise, in literature and in real life, there was a time when letter writing was a precursor to marriage between individuals who had never actually met but had corresponded over a period of time. Of course, in modern times there are more straightforward and, indeed, safer ways to find a pen pal.

Instructions

1. Locate other schools that want to participate in a pen pal program with your school, or classroom, if this is a school-related effort. This type of program can be an ideal way to introduce your students to people they perceive as "different" or simply as a chance to see that while someone may seem different on the surface, in actuality, they both have a lot in common. For adults, as well as teens, there are websites that offer a somewhat secure method of meeting new people.

2. Take proper precautions when corresponding by traditional mail or via the Internet with strangers. It is extremely easy for someone to misrepresent themselves to you, especially if you have never actually met the person. Parents and teachers should be particularly careful and monitor children and teens when interacting with others online. If you agree to meet a pen pal, take a friend with you or, at the very least, meet the individual in a public place.

3. Tell friends or family members that you are interested in finding a pen pal in the area that they are from. As was common in previous centuries, family and friends were often instrumental in "setting up" correspondences between two people they believed would be a good match, whether that led to a romantic relationship or a good friendship. This approach can also be a great idea for children and teens, even giving them a chance to learn about another culture through, for example, the child of a friend you went to college with who now lives abroad.

4. Introduce yourself to your new pen pal once you have found him or her. The early letters or messages you exchange should be a feeling out process in which you get to know a bit about each other, such as the other person's interests, likes and dislikes.

5. Be clear in your writing. Since written messages leave out the body language and facial expressions we are used to when communicating face to face, they are more prone to misunderstandings, especially between two cultures. Be careful about the way you express things. If you are telling a joke, add a smiley face so the other person understands that.

References

• iT's: School Penpal Exchange

Resources

• Student Letter Exchnage
• ePals