International Pen Friends
Dec. 1st, 2016 12:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseOne of the ways that I'm finding helps me cope in this post-Trump-election universe is, basically, journaling. This is why you've seen me here so often lately. I'm finding that just taking time to reflect on my day helps me get through it. I have a couple of friends that I've been writing letters to, too, and they've seen an upswing in correspondence, as well. (This may, in part, be in compensation for my inability to fiction ATM, but I've been feeling a drive to write the queerest queer book in the history of queer fiction, so who knows?)
On the other hand, I don't necessarily want to inundate my friends with a letter a day. I mean, MAYBE they'd appreciate it, but I've been trying to keep it to one letter a week. But, I LOVE actual correspondence. I LOVE getting things in my mailbox that aren't bills or advertising. I LOVE stationary and pens.
So, on a whim, after talking about my failed attempt at an international pen pal in 4th grade, I decided to see if there were still organizations that did this--that matched strangers up with other strangers in foreign countries. There are! So, I signed up with the International Pen Friends, paid my membership dues, and have been waiting somewhat impatiently to see what would come of it.
Well, today I got my list. 15 people!
I get to write to 15 people around the world! HOW COOL IS THAT? Seriously, I'm supposed to send a letter to everyone on the list. !5! I'm going to have to allocate these people days of the week! Anyway.... I got 2 Australians, 4 in England (all from tiny sounding towns like North Wolverhampton), 1 from Belgium, 3 from France, 4 from Germany and one from the Netherlands. Interestingly, I asked for people all over the globe, from every single continent (well, minus Antarctica because it wasn't an option), and I entirely got placed with Europeans. But, that's still cool. I can't wait to get writing to them!
On the other hand, I don't necessarily want to inundate my friends with a letter a day. I mean, MAYBE they'd appreciate it, but I've been trying to keep it to one letter a week. But, I LOVE actual correspondence. I LOVE getting things in my mailbox that aren't bills or advertising. I LOVE stationary and pens.
So, on a whim, after talking about my failed attempt at an international pen pal in 4th grade, I decided to see if there were still organizations that did this--that matched strangers up with other strangers in foreign countries. There are! So, I signed up with the International Pen Friends, paid my membership dues, and have been waiting somewhat impatiently to see what would come of it.
Well, today I got my list. 15 people!
I get to write to 15 people around the world! HOW COOL IS THAT? Seriously, I'm supposed to send a letter to everyone on the list. !5! I'm going to have to allocate these people days of the week! Anyway.... I got 2 Australians, 4 in England (all from tiny sounding towns like North Wolverhampton), 1 from Belgium, 3 from France, 4 from Germany and one from the Netherlands. Interestingly, I asked for people all over the globe, from every single continent (well, minus Antarctica because it wasn't an option), and I entirely got placed with Europeans. But, that's still cool. I can't wait to get writing to them!