- In an increasingly globalized world, it is important to learn about other cultures and countries. Writing to a person and establishing a relationship with him is a much more personal way to learn about another culture than by simply reading about it or seeing it on television. Friends without Borders is a program initiated to enhance peace between India and Pakistan by having children from one country write heartfelt letters to students in the other and establishing friendships. Having international contacts also comes in handy when travelling. If your pen pal lives in a country you end up visiting, you can gain insider information on the best places to visit and stay. You can also improve your second-language skills by corresponding in it with your pen pal.
- Choosing to communicate via email or post is a personal choice. Correspondence through regular mail often conveys a sense of distance because you end up waiting a few weeks before receiving a letter, and it has a physical presence. Because of this, these relationships may last longer and have a deeper connection than those where pen pals correspond through email. With email, wait time is considerably less, so it feels more like a conversation. There is no postage required, and it is safer because you don't have to give out all of your contact information if you aren't comfortable doing so.
- Started in 1936, the Student Letter Exchange is the world's largest pen pal organization, with over half a million participants each year. The organization was founded by an American teacher wanting to add spark to his classroom. English is the language of choice. There is a small fee charged for the service. A small fee is also charged by ePals, an online network that connects students from Kindergarten through grade 12 across 200 countries and territories. Initiated in 1996, it was created as a place where teachers and their students could connect with other classes interested in using technology to assist in collaborative learning.
- Global Penfriends is a pen pal community open to anyone. It is free, family-friendly and gives subscribers the option of corresponding through email or regular post. You can submit your profile to them and peruse the database to find someone you would like to be pen pals with. InterPals is another free pen pal site for users of all ages. It has more than 300,000 active users from more than 180 countries, making it one of the largest pen pal sites on the Internet. Visitors can add their profiles, search for pen pals and more. Interpals even has a language exchange program that lets you communicate with native language speakers.
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