Were you one of those who had a penpal when you were younger? Or wrote wishes on a Xmas or birthday card, licked the envelope and stamps then dropped it in the post box? Yes, I grew up in that generation when computers nor smartphones were invented yet, and we used to communicate with pen and paper. My writing days probably started when I was 9 or 10-years-old, when my English teacher introduced the class to finding penpals. I am pretty sure her intention was for us to improve our English and writing skills, but there were also the elements of improving self-confidence and social skills, which I will never know if it was also her objectives for us but am appreciative for. I had penpals from all over the world but the ones I kept closely in touch with for a while was 1 boy from Germany, 1 girl from Hong Kong and a local girl. For the 1st 2 penpals, I remember thinking they used to write in odd, if not incorrect, English sentence structure and probably why their teachers got them started on pen-paling as well. Now that I am older, it was probably due to the way the German and Cantonese language is written and spoken. So, it was most commendable of them to communicate in their 2nd language with me.
Before social media, this was one way of connecting with people so far away and exciting for someone who has never travelled. I was always looking forward to receive their letters, to learn about their cities and their way of life. It was always interesting to see how similar (homework was such a drag!) and different (not everyone speaks English in their hometown) we were. I was definitely getting more than English lessons, and that’s the world of difference a good teacher makes to a child’s future.
So as I watch my nephew grow up, I wanted him to pick up these skills as well. Not knowing where to find him another 6 or 7-year-old kid to penpal with, I decided to be his first penpal. It was initially easy to get him excited on the idea because he had started his stamps collection, and was eager to receive mail in the letter box with his name on it. At that young age, he struggled with the content to write me in his letter so this did not last very long. I could find him a penpal with a similar age but it’s not like anyone’s advertising for a penpal nowadays. Still, I was reluctant to give up on the initiative.
Coincidentally, I was going on a holiday with my best friend and that was when the idea of sending him postcards dawned on me. I would still get to write him for his stamp collections and he gets to learn about the different places in the world. Since then, whenever family members travelled, we would pick up a postcard to send him. A few times, when his family travelled, he would mail me a postcard or letter. Although this is not quite the same as a penpal, I hope these postcard exchanges will continue for as long as we travel.
This postcard exchanges ‘expanded’ when a good friend of mine left for the U.S.A. We kept in touch via emails or Whatsapp texts, but there’s also the occasional holiday cards or travel post cards we’d surprise each other with. In the age of emails and e-cards, I don’t know anybody that still snail-mails. More should be done to preserve this lost art of sending someone a hand-written message as it is more heart-warming and personalized than a quick mobile text. I know I always get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I received mail that wasn’t from banks, the government or my cable provider. So if you’re reading this and don’t mind making a new penpal, let me know.
One New Anything 