Dear all...I think I need to get this off my chest and read your opinions about this issue .

I have recently fallen in love with the idea of snail mail. Not just writing letters or postcards, but the whole experience: choosing beautiful paper, decorating envelopes, adding little something, finding stickers and putting a little piece of myself into something I send across the world (preferably in Europe). I have bought so many lovely stationery supplies (the Pepin Press) and honestly -if you could see them all, you would probably understand why I'm so excited about this hobby..<3

There's just one problem - > I was hoping to find people who were(at least a bit)excited about exchanging letters as I am.....

I have contacted people who seemed genuinely interested. Some sounded enthusiastic at first, some said they would love to be penpals, and some promised to write. But then the conversations faded, replies became very short, or I found myself asking all the questions while the other person showed little curiosity about me. Sometimes people simply disappear.

I am not naive - I know nobody OWES me a letter, and I don't expect instant replies or a rigid schedule. People have jobs, families, busy lives <<-- trust me I KNOW!..and different ways of communicating (Perhaps my fault on my end not asking what’s going on, but I don't want to come accross as needy and annoying). I'm not looking for constant attention or a perfect penpal who writes beautifully crafted letters every week.

I just want the interest to go both ways. I would love to feel that the person on the other end is curious about me too and that we are both looking forward to getting to know each other gradually.

But after several disappointing attempts I am starting to wonder whether expecting too much.., choosing the wrong people, or taking things too personally.I wasn't born yesterday - I am aware that I don’t know these people and I probably shouldn't invest so much hope. Easier said than done, though, when you're genuinely excited about the possibility of making a new friend.

So fellow penpals : Is this just part of finding the right people (honestly harder than finding a new partner, although I heard dating these days is a tragedy impersonatd) ? Have you also experienced all the initial enthusiasm followed by silence? How do you stop taking it personally and how do you know when to keep trying and when to walk away?

I don't really want to give up on snail mail.. I still hold onto their promise they will write...and I still enjoy everything about penpaling. I'm just tired of feeling like I am the only one trying to make something happen...

I would really appreciate hearing your honest experiences. ♤♡◇♧

Edit : so many typos, my apologies :)

Hi there! I’m 50 and writing to you from the delightfully mossy Pacific Northwest (Oregon, to be exact). My home base is shared with my boyfriend, my mom, and two beloved, slightly chaotic senior pups who pretty much run the household. I have some great penpals but wold love a few more!

By day, I work in local Parks and Recreation. And while it’s not literally the TV show, some days I swear the plotlines are unfolding right in front of my desk. Personality-wise, picture a solid cross between Donna and April, but somehow cursed (blessed?) with just enough of Leslie Knope’s stubborn optimism to keep things interesting.

My brain is neurodivergent, which mostly means it runs on its own unique operating system. Halloween is my undisputed favorite holiday, but spring is my true season, mostly because I spend an unreasonable amount of time daydreaming about native woodland plants, planning garden beds, and plotting my next miniature crafting rabbit hole (building tiny kits and book nooks is serious business). When I'm in my zone, I'm usually lost in an eerie mystery audiobook or a creepy podcast while daydreaming about photographing misty trees and historical architecture. I have a deep soft spot for rustic cabin life in the woods and the kind of quiet, cozy existence where an afternoon spent watching the local birds counts as a major event.

I’m looking for snail mail friends from anywhere in the world, though I prefer starting with a quick email or message exchange first just to make sure we vibe. Our letters can truly be about anything from the profoundly philosophical to the delightfully mundane: the weird thing your neighbor did today, book recommendations, travel memories, or random observations about existence.

Fair warning: I tend to type my letters, and my envelopes rarely look like Pinterest-worthy works of art, but everything I write is genuine and straight from the heart.

If any of this sounds like your cup of tea, drop me a message and tell me a little about where you are in the world or just share the weirdest thing that happened to you this week.

Hi, you can call me Abigail, I'm 18 years old (almost 19) and I'm Spanish.

I am a student of conservation and restoration of cultural heritage with the intention of specializing in paper and photographs, you can imagine how much I like letters. I've wanted to correspond for a long time, but I never find anyone interested. So I was hoping to find someone here. These are my interests and some other things:

- I studied music, I'm a bassoonist.

- I love to read and draw.

- I'm very interested in cinema.

- I know Morse code (very random).

- I can write in Spanish, English, and French (and I'm trying to learn Italian).

- And I love nature.

If you'd be interested in having a friend to exchange letters, postcards, and things like that with, leave a comment or send me a private message. Ty ^^

Last week, I discovered a box of my late grandfather's belongings.

He used to travel abroad for work back in the 1970s and 1980s.

During his travels, he made some pen pals, even from places that don't technically exist anymore (e.g., Yugoslavia and East Berlin).

The box I found was full of letters he had received from those friends. I'm not sure how he knew them or whether they were his coworkers.

I travel a lot too, but I rarely get to make meaningful connections with people.

And even when I do, we never stay in touch once the trip is over. I was so moved by the letters my grandfather received that it made me wish I had something like that too.

I would love to exchange letters, share stories, and learn about each other's cultures. I'm from South Asia, I might even send some chai samples through the mail !

Hey yall! I am looking for a penpal for this upcoming winter. It’s already starting to get cold where I live and it would be fun to write letters to people and be all cozy lol. I do not have a preference of who you are or where you’re from it would be nice to just talk to whomever.
A little about myself, I have two cats, growing some plants in my house and a little in my backyard. I have a BUNCH of hobbies and have had a lot of different jobs so I can talk in depth about a lot of things, some people have called me a modern day renaissance man. i am a very active person and I love the art of movement. I love debates because I think they are wordsmiths lol. I can go on and on

if you’re interested in chatting feel free to dm me. I have no preference between snailmail or email

Hi! I am looking to make friends with women from all over the world. I am super into self-help, psychology, regulating sports, deep philosophical discussions and ideas, I also love to learn about new cultures and new ways of doing things. I have some difficulties snail mailing and emailing regularly because I find it too cumbersome, especially if we don't know each other well enough yet, so I am currently looking more for DM buddies daily or every few days, and when we get to know each other well enough we can move towards these other slower mediums.

Looking forward to receiving your DMs

Hello potential penpals!

I'm 32 and I'm from Europe. Over the years, I met some amazing penpals online and still have some lovely friendships that stemmed from it, so I decided to try again. I'm looking for email penpals at the moment. Snail mail would be nice after a while, but I hate going to the post office, so I'd need a good reason to do so. 🤣

I work in IT, which means I already spend a fair amount of time looking at a screen and that's why my hobbies mostly involve leaving the house or reading a book. I enjoy running, hiking and diving.

Some of my likes: summer, sports, plants, libraries, interesting tech and innovation, fiction books, notebooks so pretty that it makes me feel bad to write in them, thrifting, baking when the stars align and I feel like it.

Some of my dislikes: color purple, spiders, slow walkers, cold showers, cold calls and being reachable 24/7.

I'm looking for penpals who are my age or older.

If this resonates with you, feel free to reach out and share a bit about yourself. One thing I think it's important to mention is that I'm not looking for instant messages in real time. If that's your preference, I'll probably disappoint you. And you'll disappoint me if you use AI to generate your messages. I see enough of it at work (I'm tired, boss), please write your own words. 🙂

Enjoy the weekend!

Delivery time: several days to several weeks.
Battery required: none.
Possibility of a cat hair in the envelope: cannot be ruled out.

I’m Dennis, 49, from Ohio, and I’d like to find a few people whose handwriting I’ll eventually recognize before I see the return address.

I’m married, have two grown sons and three cats, and co-own a sign shop with my wife. There’s a decent chance you’ve never thought about who makes the signs you pass every day. Hello. It’s people like me, usually trying to get a tiny piece of vinyl to cooperate.

I live near Indian Lake, where summer and winter feel like two different towns. I like being outdoors, photography, books, old buildings, abandoned places, and wondering what somewhere looked like in 1973. I have an art degree and an ongoing interest in other people’s oddly specific interests.

Here’s my proposal: let’s become the unofficial historians of each other’s ordinary lives.

Tell me about the house you still dream about. The local character everyone knows. Your questionable teenage haircut. Something you’re looking forward to, something you’re trying to figure out, or the small, ridiculous incident that took up most of your Tuesday.

I’ll send stories from my corner of Ohio, questions that occurred to me while reading your letter, and occasionally a photo or some little extra that seemed like it belonged in your envelope.

Long letters are welcome. So are short ones written during a busy week. You don’t need beautiful stationery or an exciting life. I’m hoping for an ongoing friendship with enough curiosity on both sides to keep the conversation going.

Adults anywhere are welcome; platonic snail mail only.

If you’re interested, send me a message and tell me one thing I’d notice if I spent an afternoon in your town.

Hello,

I am an expat living in Central Europe. My life has been intense with so much travel and moving around. I love human behaviour so I try to synthesise humans with the help of philosophy, psychology, literature and neuroscience.

I don’t believe in rigid systems and religions. I believe spirituality is not as same as believing in God or religion. I believe people find it extremely difficult to be themselves, mostly believing in a self which is rarely authentic.

I write with a tinge of poetic prose, mostly philosophical. I start slow and my replies usually are shaped by the replies I receive.

One of my favourite letter series is “letters to a young poet” by Rilke. If you’re interested in conversing about such topics, let’s start a conversation.

Thank you and have a wonderful day!

I am working on getting my PO Box set up - it should be available just in a few days. I would love to expand my penpal reach to a few friends of similar age. Some crossover interests would be nice, but not required!

Some of my interests:

-reading/books, mostly thrillers and romance
-working out
-puzzles
-watching tv series and movies
-astrology
-tea and coffee (lol)

Please message me if interested! I would love to make a few new connections and put my stationery to good use. I am perfectly happy with correspondence within or outside of the US. 🖤

Hello,

I’m 25 and I’m from France.
My interests are:

- Nature, hikes, architecture, gardens, travels
- Fashion, makeup, house decor, flowers, trinkets
- Painting (my favorite painters are Odilon Redon and Egon Schiele), sculpting, music (my favorite artist is Nick Drake), acting, cinema
- Philosophy
- Politics/economics and reading/writing essays

Personality-wise, I have been described as “secretive” and “passionate”, I like discovering new things, I’m curious and routine is my biggest fear.
It’s difficult for me to get bored. I’m an introvert but I’m not really shy, i like solitude. I’ve also been described as “ambitious” and I would love to make a living with my art one day.

I have left beliefs and I prefer not to engage with anyone maga or far right, please respect it.

I would prefer a penpal from the US/UK or from Australia/Canada to practise my english but you can be from anywhere in the world, don’t hesitate to message me :)

I'm looking for a penpal I can exchange emails with. Ideally, this person would have similar interests to mine. I enjoy reading and writing (was a creative writing and journalism major in college). I play video games casually on my Nintendo Switch 2. I'm a tech enthusiast. I'm engaged and have two young daughters. I'm also bipolar, a big part of my story. Let's see...oh, I'm hispanic. I consider myself Americanized, but I'm always in touch with my roots. I love cooking hispanic foods and listening to old Cuban music. Anyhow, if I seem like the type of person you'd like to correspond with, drop a line below or DM me.

Hayden [25/F] and I am from Florida, United States. I’m looking for an international penpal from anywhere in the world but I am especially interested in having a penpal from Ireland as I have Irish ancestry and am curious to know what it’s like over there on the day to day. My hobbies include reading (gothic literature, horror and fantasy), crafting and working on my etsy shop and of course all things macabre and a bit witchy. I have a deep empathy and love having deep conversations. I love decorating my letters and would also like a penpal who may do the same although I’m not picky. Let me know if interested.

I’ve been wanting to have a penpal for years but never knew an avenue for it. I recently tried a postcard swap from an artist I follow on IG and it was almost assured that my postcard would not go to the person whose postcard would come to me. Unfortunately, it did and while they sent out 3 postcards compared to my one, they will receive 3 potential penpals and I just got him. A teenager! I feel so disappointed/let down waiting a month thinking I would connect with two people my age.

One oddity that I personally find, it seems like people only want the material things in what they get. I don’t junk journal but I’d imagine my gorgeous sought after vintage stationery will be torn up and glued down on a page. Or they’d wish to receive more than just a handwritten note and not write back…

AND why am I seeing so much AI slop being sent to people or people requesting penpals with an AI profile picture?!? Jeez.

I would most DEFINITELY love to receive hand illustrated stickers, washi tape, postcards, etc. from established modern or vintage artists but I so much want to connect with other women. I so wish to find that there are worlds beyond my hometown. I want to write the good and bad about life. I want to write!!!! I want to learn!!!

Here’s the criteria pls
• be my age range and a girl (open to hearing from older women and queer people, too!)
• i hope you agree with me (with this post but also i’m pretty leftist lol)
• KIND HEARTED

Wants
• love 2D animation and illustrations (or i can show you!)
• into reading non-fiction, academic literature, what have you. (please teach me about what books and lessons you loved reading!!!)
• if you sent beautiful stationery too (sucks to receive a basic ass notecard after sending gorg vintage or new stationery)
• prefer US residents but open to all North America & Ireland, Wales, France, Italy, Sicily,… just to name a few lol
• A++ if you’re an artist!
*• “*thought daughter”

If this gets any comments, I may not reply soon due to being overwhelmed… Anyway, thanks for reading.

Hi guys, I am looking for Canadian penpals in their early/mid twenties to send physical letters to. A little about me: I love reading everything under the sun (except non fiction). My favourite books are A Man Called Ove, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Nightingale. I have a soft spot for romance books because they are a great pick me up. I love going to watch movies at the theatre - I have a membership card at the local cinema. I love museums, art galleries and fall. I am a coffee snob and am on first name basis with most of the local baristas. I love dad jokes, watching hockey and am currently binging the new season of love is blind.

If you think we would be good penpals, let me know :)

Hi! I’m looking for 1-2 penpals who would be open to exchanging letters (every day thoughts, feelings) and little bits of stationary (washi tape, stickers etc.). I have a couple of pen pals but I love the idea of sharing stationary with others! A little about me: I like baking, arts and crafts (painting, doodling). I have 1 cat and 8 dogs! I enjoy reading and I’m always looking for new recommendations! (Mystery is my go-to, but I’ve been wanting to get more into the classics); if this resonates with you let me know!

I'm chronically sick in bed most of the day. I'm looking for online penpals. Looking for a best friend.

Love writing about fictional kismet soulmates twins souls destiny who plays to get a life. With obstacles to overcome. Love writing about creating a happy soulmates world.

I was 17 when I first read Linda Goodman love signs book and chapter on twins souls soulmates. I wanted to meet my soulmate when I was 21. But I didn't meet my soulmate until I was 36 and he left for America. Our paths didn't cross to marry. I met another soulmate when I was 51 but he was married.

Now I wonder if there's a soulmate for everyone. But it's something I explore in my creative writing.

Hello! My name is Sol and I’m an 18 years old non-binary from South Korea. When I was in elementary school, I started a penpal exchange with a friend from another country and it was a great experience. I still exchange letters with a few friends now, and I like that it allows me to build deeper relationships than I can through instant messaging.

I’m really into music, my favorite genres are indie rock, post punk, shoegaze, emo, black metal but I listen to everything and I love discovering new genres. I’d love to exchange music recommendations if you like music too! Most of my hobbies are also related to music, I like playing the guitar, piano and collecting vinyl records.

I’m also interested in science, especially astronomy and physics. I want to become an astronomer and I'm currently preparing to major in astronomy in college.

Some other things I like are taking photos, watching movies, playing chess (even though I'm not good at it lol) and drawing.

If we share the same interests I’ll be really excited and I can talk about them forever, but even if we have different interests, that's okay too—we can talk about anything. I'm very interested in the cultures of other countries, as well as history, religion and politics so I'd love to hear about your country. No matter where you live and regardless of your gender or age, I'm looking for someone with whom I can exchange letters over the long term and share a genuine friendship.

Feel free to send me a message if you're interested in exchanging letters after reading my post. It would be good if you introduce yourself to me too. I hope you have a great weekend!

Hi, I'm Dave! I'm 37 and live in the Midwest. I love letters because they give you room to say what you actually mean. I draft mine on a computer first, then copy them onto paper, since I enjoy finding my voice in the editing as much as the writing.

I'm hoping for a friendship built on real connection rather than a list of shared interests. I'm endlessly curious about people's inner worlds: what matters to them, what they care about, what they wonder about when no one's asking. You don't need to have it all figured out. I'm happy to hear the unpolished version, and I'll share mine too.

A bit about me: I work in fin-tech as a programmer, and I like it. Every day I cook, exercise, and try to learn something new. I hike 4 miles along a river near my house, the one place nearby I can be outdoors without hearing cars. I used to coach basketball, I travel with my dad once a year, and my favorite place I've ever been is Switzerland, where it felt like time slowed down.

If this sounds like your kind of exchange, send me a message. Tell me about something you've been thinking about lately, a place that feels like home, or just say hi. There's no rush and no expectations. We can let the letters find their own pace. 😊

I miss having a best friend. Even if it's "just online" I've had that kind of connection where we chat a bit throughout the day, send each other songs and cute animal vids, make playlists, share our creative work, have inside jokes, give each other encouragement and support.

It's difficult to find. Most people don't like long messages, don't want to talk to someone different like me, or don't want have a friendship mostly via text. I've often been filler for people who go back to their real lives but this is my real life.

If you happen to be someone who gels with this, feel free to reach out. I'm looking for strictly platonic. I'm very chronically ill, neurodivergent, and disabled as well as queer and left-leaning. I live with a partner who is also disabled. I'm homebound and that's why online friends mean a lot to me.

Not a fan of people who are weird about my health stuff or try to fix me or tell me to be more positive. I'm very sick and it is what it is. I want a friend who accepts me and whatever I can offer, which is music, memes, deep convos, and support. I appreciate mutual effort and people who help keep the convo going. I don't like endless small talk and how are yous.

A little more about me: I'm a writer, music nerd, love all kinds of TV, and I collect toys and plush. I've been through a lot but I try to be empathetic, socially aware, and kind as much as I can while still advocating for myself and my communities.

Please don't reach out if you're super busy, don't ask questions or put in effort, or if you're uncomfortable with someone who isn't able to be positive and optimistic. I prefer Reddit for chatting but can also do email. I can't send much handwritten mail for disability and privacy reasons.

I think I have a lot to offer the right friend. I hope I find them.

Hi. I've been struggling with isolation/loneliness and a set of both physical and mental health struggles, and as a result of everything I'm not feeling too great currently :(

If I could find some meaningful connections with others, I think it'd help me feel better. I've been interested in a lot of different things, and here are two projects I have:

I'm working on revising and resubmitting a philosophy paper on the root cause of humanity's pursuit of Al, which provides an evolutionary perspective on the philosophy of Jacques Ellul, who wrote a lot about the technological phenomenon. I'm definitely very concerned about Al safety and the main part of the article is aimed at addressing how we arrived here. I don't feel super optimistic about how much time remains before AI screws things irreparably.

In the future also hope to finish an evolutionary hypothesis paper suggesting a structural source for the difficulty of a major evolutionary transition, since it's an idea in astrobiology that some evolutionary transitions may be very difficult, and that it may play a role in both their timing and the Fermi paradox.

Feel free to message me if you're interested in chatting/emailing. I'd prefer those around my age. I'm in the US. I just turned 23, and felt pretty depressed for it.

Hey there! It's Autumn. I'd love to get to know new people by reading about thei words as ink on paper.

Creativity is appreciated, but not required. I like surprises. Not looking for someone in particular, I'm open to all kinds of people - as long as you are willing to put some real effort. I don't like shallow.

I find it hard to describe myself because the cold truth is that I have 5 or 6 different people inside me - they take turns, sometimes fight, have different tastes, needs and aims. It's not a split personality disorder, just to be clear :)

What can I say? I'm a music geek. Definitely messy (see above). I love cinema and dancing. I'm shy but very curious. I buy too many books - mostly about spirituality.

Most of the time, I still feel like a teenager.

I live in Torino, a city in the northwest of Italy, not far from the French border - "the Canada of Italy" (cit.)

We can begin exchanging a couple of emails, maybe? Then move on to ink & paper.

Hope to read about you soon.

Hey everyone! You can call me Ren! I'm 21 and in my fourth year of college, and I'm looking to try something new and hopefully make a genuine connection with someone.

A little about me: I enjoy video games, true crime (probably more than I should 😂), watching shows, and reading. I also really love being outdoors, going on walks, and hiking whenever I can. Unfortunately, I've been sick lately, so hiking is on pause for now.

Life has been a little overwhelming recently, and I thought it'd be nice to meet someone new to talk to about life, share random thoughts with, vent to when things get difficult, and get to know over time. I'm happy to listen and be there for someone, too.

I'd prefer to start by exchanging emails and, if we get along and feel comfortable with each other, maybe eventually exchange handwritten letters. I like the idea of having something a little more personal and meaningful than just scrolling through social media.

I'd especially love to meet someone around my age who's interested in a genuine, platonic friendship. We don't have to share all the same interests; I think it'd be fun to learn about each other's lives and discover new things, too.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, feel free to message me and tell me a little about yourself! I'd love to get to know you. 😊

Hi there, I’m pregnant with my first child, and it’s been such an enjoyable journey so far! I’d love to share the experience with other women who are pregnant as well or are first time moms!

About me: I’m an avid pen paler, and I enjoy bullet journaling, hoarding stickers, and writing with fountain pens. In my spare time, I love playing RPG, puzzle and farming sim video games, reading books, baking goodies, and hiking (especially in the fall)!

My letters are often about sharing lighthearted moments with pen pals. Please DM me if you’d like to exchange cozy letters! Happy fall! 💕