My Pen Pal Story
by Colleen
(England)
I started pen-palling 20 years ago.
It was something I wanted to do, but hadn't done anything about!
At that time there was a local radio station and one of the things they did on it was 'around the world phone calls'.
I loved listening to this every week, and when ever pen-pals got to chat with each other on air they mentioned 'International Pen-Pals'.
I went to my local library and they gave me an address in the USA,(I'm in England) I wrote off full of excitment.....my letter came back with 'Return to Sender' on it!!!
I went back to the library and after a lot of digging around I was given an address in England.
I wrote off again and then at last I heard back from them ~ they sent an introduction form and you had to write a bit about yourself, likes/dislikes/hobbies etc, and then a list was sent with names on, I wrote off to the ladies on the list and 20 years later we are still writing to one another :)
Last year one of the Australian ladies was doing a tour of the UK so we met up :)
I wrote into the radio station and twice got to go chat 'on air' with my pals which was great fun :)
Once you start to write to pals you hear of other pen pal newsletters etc, and then all of a sudden the world is a smaller place and wonderful friendships are made 'along the inky trail' :)
Last year we visited my old school friend in Georgia USA and also spent a few days with my pen pal Penny in Florida... Happy happy days :)
