Long Haul Pen Pals

wow, this is SUCH a fabulous idea - I've loved penpalling for many (too many to count!) years, and I agree that so often I read someone's really interesting profile and think we would have SO much to write about, but then never get to swap with them.....

PLEASE yes, add me to your "list" of possible/prospective penpals, I WILL write to anyone - please check out my website - it's about penpalling and friendship books and the BUICK! Project - it might give you a chuckle, even.

I'm in....

MaryB

Absolutely I'm in! I had a penpal when I was in junior high and one day her letters came less often and she just stopped writing. I miss that to this day. I would love to have a "pen to paper" person to write letters to - I am one of those oddballs who loves to write letters.

Add me to the address list too!!

I love to write -actually write-though occasionally type-letters. Email is great, but there is something nice about a letter. I too had a pen pal when I was in junior high and I love receiving her letters. I would have my folks take me to the local Hallmark store so I could stock up on my stationery.
I'll sign up, but please add me to the address list too!

This is great so far! Seven swappers in the first hour or so! I don't really expect to have a huge list of people signing up -- only people who really do want to do the long-term thing, so this is great.

I've already had requests to pair you up with specific partners. Just so you know, I don't have control over who gets partnered with whom -- swap-bot does that. So, if you see someone who you have something in common with and want to be penpals, you can get his/her address from the address list and intitiate the pen pal relationship yourself (email them first and say, "Hey, we have things in common! Want to be penpals?" or just surprise them with a letter!)

I hope this clears things up. I'll compile the list and email it after the swap partners are assigned and we have a complete list of participants.

I'm really happy you put this swap in. I love long-term penpalling. You make such great friends this way. I hope you get many more joiners in the next hours and days before the swap begins and I hope they all would like to be on the address. Please add me to your address list and again thank you!

BTW, Tammegail, did you get my recipes?

I'd love to be on your address list, too!

This would be great - I am fairly new to swapbot and have joined all the letter swaps becuase like you all I had penpals when at school and wanted to replicate that. However, I'm already getting fed up with writing all the introductory stuff or finding ways to tell it quickly. It would be much better to get to know someone and be able to write about continuing situations or more personal things. Count me in and add me to the growing address list please.

Hello,

I love to penpal and swap things to. So please please add me to your address list!

Sounds like a great idea. Please add me to your address list, I am especially looking for outside USA penpals but will always answer any letter plus of course, will send to whom ever is my partner.

Cheers, Marlene

This is right up my alley! I love writing and I love meeting new people from all over the world, so yes, please do add me to your address list for this swap!

Add me to your address list, too!

count me in - and please add me to the address list too!

add me to the address list, please=)

Add me to the list too please!

add me to the list too please. :)

of course i want to be on the list too lol......christy

What a wonderful idea. I used to have so many penpals when I was still in school & at university. I miss receiving proper letters in the mail and getting to know someone from a totally different background. This will be fun! Please add me to the list :)

Please,add me to your address list,love to write for other from Brazil

You can add me to the list, too. Please use nice stamps for me, not always the same bluered national park thing or the ugly white post labels.

Yes i would like to be added to the list, I love writing letters and sending interesting bits n pieces with them. Have had penpals for many years, and enjoy the insight into other peoples worlds, we have so many differences, but so many similarities too.

UK calling....... yes please count me in and on the list. In the absence of 'love letters' these days (lol) chatty, real letters would be a joy to write and receive. Lyn

This sounds great. I would also love to be added on to the list. I too had penpals when I was younger, and it is always so exciting to receive a letter in the mail!

Hello everybody. I'm in. I love to write letters. I'm from Chile and I'm study English since two years ago. You can write me in English or Spanish. Hope hearing from you soon. PS: Add me to address list!

This sound like a great opportunity. Please add me to the address list.

Wow! there's more interest in this swap then I thought there would be. We're in the Top 10! Remember, you should only sign up if you want long-term pen pal relationships. Don't sign up if you want to send one letter once and move on to another swap.

I also feel like adding to the requirement about who can participate : if you are someone who I know never to check swap-bot messages or swap home pages ( a bad communicator), I may ban you. If you can't answer your swap-bot messages, or if you don't care enough to even let your partner know you've received a swap, it's not likely that you're reliable enough a communicator to hold up your end of a long-term pen pal relationship. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of putting effort into swaps for people who aren't even courteous and thoughtful enough to say, "Hey, thanks for the swap you sent me."

Certainly, if I send you a message about this swap, please reply, or I'll think you don't care!

Also, a note about the list: I'll send it out after Friday (maybe Saturday). If you haven't specified by Friday that you want to be on the list, you will not be on the list.I can't do add-ons, as that would require me to re-send the list to people I already sent it to. I hope that makes sense and seems reasonable.

I can't wait for this to start. I've already been looking at profiles to see who I have things in common with.

Important: I've sent newbies an email. Please reply to it to show you're committed to the swap, checking in at swap-bot every-so-often, etc. Windchimes, Jen L, and Jessica Jewel have already communicated with me, so you three are good to go.

if you're a newbie signing in from here on out, can you send me a message through swap-bot to the same effect? (You know, hey, I'm new, but I'm really into it."

thanks so much.

Add me to the address list :)

me too! Add me to the address list, please. Thank you!

Hi Lily Lemon and everyone! Count me in and add me to the address list too--Thank you!!

Hi there. Another newbie and dedicated pen-pal writer checking in. Please add me to your address list.

Thanks!

add me to the list please =]

Do add me to the address list. Sounds lovely.

Neat idea! I have long wanted to have a pen pal that will write experimental letters (i.e. writing a letter from the perspective of a mad scientist, or a letter all in pictures etc.) so maybe I can hook someone here into that! :D You can add me to your list :)

I've tried to get pen pals through other "community sites" but everyone is always so warry of giving out their address...this is perfect! Emails just don't seem as personal to me as a handwritten (or typed) letter. Add me to the address list as well.

Me too for the address list!!!!

I'm a newbie, will send a message and want to be on the address list as well! Thanks. :-)

Add me to the list please

I'd like to be on the address list too. Please! Oh, guess that means I best go sign up for the swap to. Ya think?

Hi, I would like to be added to the list as well. Thanks bunches! Swampgirl

Add me too please. I penpal on a regular basis. I have a few pals but they all recieve long letters within a week. No half hearted letters here!

This sounds a lot of fun. I haven't had a penpal since I was about 14-15 years old. I e-mail people all over the world regularly - but there's nothing like receiving a good hand written letter in the post. Especially when my post tends to be bills every day argh!

Add me to the address list too please :o)

Add me to the address list, too! Yay! :D

There are two Annies in this swap. I don't know which one wants to be on th list. Can you message me your info through swap-bot contact?

never mind. i figured it out.

swap-bot has been slow to give coordinators the go-ahead to assign partners. I just tricked the system by changing the signup date to yesterday - sure enough, it's going to let me assign, so here goes....

Okay, partners have been assigned. Write to your partners!

If you signed up to be on the list, I'll send it out tomorrow (creating the list has been a big undertaking and I think sending it out will also be another medium undertaking, especially while I'm still recovering from my stupid sprained neck!).

If you look at profiles of other swappers on the list who seem interesting and you'd like to correspond with them, give it a go! I don't know if it's best to send a letter out or if it would be better to send them an email first, asking if they want to be penpals. I'm not in charge of that part of it! :) Or...you could wait and see if someone you like is already sending to you.

At any rate, I hope we all find some nice penpals, whether they were assigned to us or we find them and choose them. HAve a great weekend, everyone!

add me to the address list too please!! =)

Lily Lemon, I sure hope your neck feels better soon! That sounds awful. :( -Swampgirl

Add me to address list!

Feel free to add me to the address list.

Also, Vicki and Daniela, your letters will go out at about 4:30 this afternoon. :)

Hello,

I love to have penpals. So please please add me to your address list!

Thanks for the interest but the address list is now closed. You should get it soon!

Okay. I sent out the address list. I only sent it to people who asked to be on it. I hope there aren't too many more of you who have the kind of spam protection that will require me to go through the "verification process." If there are a lot more, you might be out of luck -- I'm trying to do a nice thing for yu, it was a lot of work, and it creates more work for me if I have to do that. Sorry but I'm a wee bit crabby today. Okay, there, I'm over it! :)

justsaysmith and acescorcio - I have sent out your letters from central Illinois already. Here's to hoping that USPS follows thru (sorry - I've personally had too many probs with them, especially with little things, like paychecks, so I'm more than a little wary!). I also e-mailed other way, too, to let you both know.

Jen L.

It's ok if we write to anyone on the list that was sent to us? Is that how I understand it?

Thank you for making the address list for us. I'm sure it was alot of work! Here's hoping that some life-long friendships can be made!

Yes, RobinT, you can write to anyone on the list. You can either send a message or email first (saying, "Hey, I'd like to be penpals,") or you can just send a letter.

Many thanks.... I appreciate the clarification!

But don't forget that you also must write to the partners assigned to you. That is mandatory; finding penpals from the list is optional.

My letters are on their way to Gram's Button Box and nktigger99 (did I get that right, Nichole?).

Wendy and Jessie,

My letters on the way to you. They went out in today's mail.

Hugs, Robin

Wendy and Jessie,

My letters on the way to you. They went out in today's mail.

Hugs, Robin

Butterfly Kisses and Miss Ara- your letters and a little gift are on their way (:

I asked newbies to fill out profiles but I see at least one newby failed to do so. How can you expect a partner to write a meaningful letter if s/he knows nothing about you? I wish I had noticed that this swapper didn't follow instructions!Too bad it's too late to ban.

graphics_cactus and Julia....your letters are on their way today.

Enjoy,

Marlene

And a BIG thank you to Lily Lemon for the address list. What fun to forge friendships around the world. Maybe peace is possible!

my letters are on the way to Annie in Owego and Swampgirl in W Swanzey - have a great week, everyone, this has been such a grand idea for a swap!
MaryB

Is it too late to be put on the list or request same? I was a bit slow reading the comments. Julia

Sorry but I've sent the list out already. If you want, you can browse through profiles of other swappers and if you see someone you'd like to write to, send them a message initiating a penpal relationship.

Girlzoot (Melinda) and Jeanne3k I put your letters in the mail today. I did something a little imaginative. I used the letters of the alphabet to alternate between telling about myself and asking you questions about yourself. Just sorta a fun way to start, I thought.

I've now gotten messages from two swappers to the effect that their (newby) partners have blank profiles. I did check but one slipped through the cracks and (I think) the other erased her profile (didn't delete, though).

So, what do you write to a partner with a blank profile? I guess you'll have to write all about yourself (maybe you can even punish them with graphic deatails of your recent toe or fatty polyp surgery or what have you :) )since you lack info about them and can't even ask them relevant questions about themselves.

I would also guess that those swappers who won't share info about themselves in their profiles won't be good bets as long haul penpals. Makes ya wonder why they even signed up, doesn't it?

My recommendation is to be blunt with them, i.e. : "I feel you don't want to be penpals if you won't share anything about yourself, so I'll write this letter to fulfill the obligations of the swap and then find a real penpal from the address list."

I don't really know what else I can advise. I'd like to babysit irresponsible swappers but really can't. Also, let me head off the next problem: no-sends. In the other swaps I've coordinated, I've gone to great lengths to find swap fairies to take care of people whose partners dropped out, got bad ratings, were no-send, etc. I don't think I can coordinate that kind of an effort in a swap this big. So, if you don't get a letter from one of your partners, give 'em a no-send and then look at the address list (if you requested to be on it) for a penpal you have something in common with or browse profiles and initiate contacts yourself.

Frankly, I think a lot of swappers in this swap are more interested in picking their own penpals from the address list, so maybe someone will "choose" you that way and you won't be left out completely.

Another option: if you don't get a letter from an assigned partner, post that here. Other swappers can look here to see that you didn't get a letter and write to you if they wish. Also, even if your assigned partner doesn't send to you, there's still a good chance that the partners who you sent to will reply. At any rate, I see the potential to wind up with lots of penpals due to two partners to send to, two to receive from, and the address list!

If anyone doesn't receive a letter I'll gladly write to you if you message me. I like traditional letters but I'm also into the different stly too (writing on non paper surfaces, writing as someone else..)

OK mine are out to Tamme and Felicia. Thanks Celia I got yours this morning! I love the paper, will write back asap!

Marlene - I received your letter yesterday afternoon - thank you so much...I've very envious that you got to travel with the Peace Corp! I'll write back really soon.

SimplySchnookly sent a wonderful letter and cute goodies to me- what a treat! What a great swap, I'll keep writing!

chuckling...How cool is THIS? - this is like a "threesome" - Lily Lemon sent to me and nktigger99 - - I received letters from them BOTH - how fun is THAT? - - must be in the stars, or something!

I received BOTH of your beautiful LONG wonderful letters and will reply VERY soon -

nktigger99 - please check out my website, it is ALL about friendship books and penpalling - and of course the BUICK! Project - it might even give you a chuckle!

have a good weekend, MaryB

I just finished my two letters. I'll post them on Monday. I hope the recipients enjoy them! :)

d as in dog and Miss Ara your letters will be in the post on the 19th! Here's hoping they arrive quickly!

I mailed my letters off today! So, analog and Ailene should be looking for them. I hope it won't take them long to wing their ways to Canada and Ireland.

Also, thankyou Gram's button box for the great letter. I just checked my po box today! :)

Thankyou so much Lily for organising this swap. I have received my first letter and its from someone in the UK here, which was actually a lovely surprise, because if we have much in common we might at some point be able to meet up! I am posting my own letters today and hadnt realsied that we might end up with 4 mail mates altogther, so BONUS!!! Thankyou again xxxx

Awww! Thanks! Can I ask that everyone keep posting -- as you are above -- when you receive a letter? I really like to know, as do others, that a swap has been received. It lets the sender know the letter got there okay, that she it didn't get lost in the mail, that she's not going to get a "no-send." Plus, it's just good manners. If you don't have time to say, "I got the letter. Thanks!" how are you going to have time to be long-term pen pals?

nktigger99 -- Did you get the letter? Plesa advise.

Justsaysmith, received today thank yuo so much I'm looking forward to being your overseas pal :)

Alison- I got your great letter last week. I've written back and hope we can keep it up! Fun letter- thanks! vicki

Ok took a little while, and many start overs but finished my two letters and sent them off today. I don't know why but I found this first letter hard to write I just didn't want it to sound like a boring factual school textbook biography. Maybe it helped sprucing up the package. We'll see.

Marlene and kaisaj - Your letters will be sent out tomorrow. Hope you enjoy them :o)

Julia - I received your letter yesterday!! Thank you so much...I'll write back really soon!

Hello. I finished my letters to Mandy and Vicky. I wrote some mistakes in English. I'm sorry. I promise that next time will be different! I'll send the correspondence tomorrow. Best regards.

Hello. I finished my letters to Mandy and Vicky. I wrote some mistakes in English. I'm sorry. I promise that next time will be different! I'll send the correspondence tomorrow. Best regards.

Two more days to get those letters out. So many people seemed so excited about this swap, so, please, let's not disappoint them! If something comes up, please contact your partners to let them know your letter will be late.

Recieved a great postcard from Florida from Denise. I'm extremely jealous, still freezing in KS!

Jewelz and Tiiamaria - your letters on their way!! Please let me know when you get them.

I sent my letter to Elke in Germany today, and Jessica Jewel's will be going out tomorrow! Woohoo! :D

Hi there: Envelopes went postal today to pen pals in North Carolina and in Holland (The Netherlands).

I would like to be added to the list at the end of the swap!!

Letters out to murmel and witchymanda tomorrow morning first thing- sorry they're being sent out last minute!!

Letters for Kimmie and Annie-with-the-blank-profile are about to go out, more will be written next week :)

My letter to Ms. Jessica Jewel went out today. Fly, letter, fly! ;D

I see that 20 swappers still haven't sent out their letters. C'mon, let's get going!

Erin (sadtomato), I received your wonderful letter! I enjoyed it so muc, and thank you for the stickers. I sent off a reply to you a few days ago, too. But I'm a newbie, and I feel silly for saying this, but I don't know how I go about giving you positive feedback for the swap. I don't see any links to do that yet, so I'm guessing it has to wait til the swap is finished? At any rate, thanks again, and I'm looking forward to being your pen pal.

Lene'

Lynnette, received your great letter today. Thanks for the book mark, I can always use another book mark. Be looking for your return letter in the mail.

Aunt Nub and Clayshaper: Have you received your letters? You should have had them for awhile now - I hope I didn't miss a message in those above. Are they there yet?

I haven't received any letters yet. :( Well I have established a penpal relationship to someone who wasn't my partner so I have that and this is a fabulous penpal partner but that's it.

Windchimes and others who have sent me messages -- The send by date was only two days ago, so a lot of letters are probably still in transit. Don't despair just yet (I haven't gotten any letters -- official or otherwise, so you're ahead of me, Windchimes !:)).

Ann, I received your letter today, and enjoyed it so very much! Thank you, and I'll be happy to pen pal with you. It's been many years since I had a little one, but I well remember those days, and hearing about your Ruth was such a pleasure.

I haven't heard yet from the gals I was partner to, but hope my letters to them will arrive without problems. It's so hard to wait, sometimes, isn't it?

How do we go about seeking other pals after we're added to the list? I'm enjoying so much meeting new pen friends this way.

Lene'

lene -- Just look at the list, look at profiles, and write a letter (or send a message asking if the person wants to be penpals). That's all there is to it. I'm not organizing anything else for this -- that's up to everyone else!

I wrote to my two partners, heard back from one, didn't get letters yet from the partners who are supposed to send to me (hope to soon), sent letters to two interesting people from the address list, hope to hear from them. Other people have probably done similar -- it's all up to you.

Rachel from NJ- I got your wonderful letter today, thank you so much!!! I love the scrap paper too!!! I'll write back to you this week. :*)

Hugs, Stacy

Oh, I thought there was some sort of email list with the names of the swappers who are interested in more pals -- that's what the swap thingie at the top says, and I was hoping to get a copy of the email list, and then contact people using the system here. I'm thinking I must have screwed this up, though, and misunderstood how it was to work. LOL Not a shocker. So, all I do is just go to the full list of swappers using the form above, and see if any of them are interested? Cool!

Thanks,

Lene'

Yes, that's right, lene -- the thingie (love the word! :))says that but it says the list will go out after signups close. Also, see my post of 3/6: "If you haven't specified by Friday that you want to be on the list, you will not be on the list.I can't do add-ons, as that would require me to re-send the list to people I already sent it to." The mailing list really was quite an undertaking!

But, again, you've got it right -- just look above to see who says, "add me to the list." That means that swapper wants penpals. If you see someone you like, just send her a message through swap-bot and say, "Send me your address and I'll send you a letter." Make sense?

Oh, and I also wanted to say thanks for all the interest in the swap. It's been gratifying to get your feedback! I hope to receive letters soon and I hope to hear back from the penpals I sent to. I'm having fun and I hope you all are, too. Good luck with forming those ltpprs (long-tern penpal relationships). I really hope we can all make some friends!!

Helen and Michele, I got your letters today and will respond later this week! marcia

angellise97 -- Thanks for your letter! I'll write back!

omigshim46 - Thank you soooo much for the letter and the cute post-it notes I got yesterday. They're almost too pretty to use! Four days from California to Germany ain't bad, huh? :)

Hi soy latte and justsaysmith ! I have just got a phone call from the Post Office near my home, the attendant told me that was a robbery and all post bags were stolen, so, I will sent another letter on friday 30, ok? Hope you receives it soon... I am truly sorry for the problems with your letter and it's delivery. Hugs from Brazil Andrea

I sent my letters to Mandy and Vicky today. I couldn't send the correspondence before because I was sick. In fact, I'm still sick. I have a bad cold. Hugs from Chile.

I have both of my letters! How fun!! I am delighted. I'll be doing ratings asap. this has been a great swap all the way around and I picked up another new friend along the way. Thanks so much for hosting this and doing such a great job.

You can rate starting today. If you haven't gotten a letter, I think it's kind to send a message asking what's up (although I think if you sent late, you should be the one to contact your partner), or give it a few days. Remember, this is an international swap, so some letters are coming a long way to you!

Jessica and Crystal, you should get yours anyday now. These were mailed out a week ago. Hope you have them soon.

MAryellen didn't receive from either partner, it looks like. Anyone want to write to her? Anyone else in the same boat?

I've just pmed you, but I'll do it no problem.

I've just pmed you, but I'll do it no problem.

I'm fine with the 2 I sent to. They both wrote me back and I plan to write them back. No need to try to get me more letters. But if the 2 people who were supposed to write do write, I will upgrade their rating. I understand life does get in the way sometimes.

Maryellen (CattyCat)

I sent out my two letters and I got already answer letters. What a great surprise! Unfortunately I didn't get my letters from my assigned partners yet, but one sent me a message that it will be delayed that is alright for me. Hope that the other partner's letter arrives soon. I am amidst of an important move so I couldn't write to another person of the list by now. I will contact some in a few weeks. Maybe there is someone who like to contact me in Germany???

Hilde- I'll gladly send you a letter, if you would like one from Kansas USA.

Hello Jamesdean,

I like letters from around the world :-) and would be happy to receive one from you :-)

I do apologize to my two wonderful swap partners, Lily Lemon and wktigger - the letters are wonderful!

I am in the middle of a very serious family medical crisis at the moment, but I will write back soon, I promise. Please be patient, and take care.

Have a good weekend, MaryB

PM me your address Hilde I'm already composing a letter now. -Misy

Hello Jamesdean, I have just sent you my address via swap bot message. I am looking forward to your letter. Christine aka Hilde Marten

Hi, it is a pitty Soylate you rate me 1 because I told you that we had a robbery at the post office here in my town and I wrote other letter and sent an e-mail to you for you explain this fact... when you receive my second letter that I´ve post on April 7 you will see that.. I will contact for the owner of this swap tell him that you could not wait for my second letter. It´s really a pity! Problems may ocurr and I live in Brazil and not in USA, my letters and others swaps could not arrive in one week.... Regards!

It is too bad that people don't rate kindly -- if your partner communicates with you about why a swap is late, it's courteous to wait to rate. Acescorio sounded like a great swapper and she's now left swap-bot because of this!

What an awful shame that acescorcio has left swap-bot, a link to and from, brazil would have been so interesting. Communication is the key to so many things and so many folk are so blummin impatient and intolerant! Sad.

lol probably worth mentioning that I sent letters to Aunt Nub and Windchimes and havent had a reply from iether of them, so I wondewr if theresa glitch in this sytem lol? Can I be so uninteresting that niether of them will reply to me !!!!! faint..............

Hee, Linie, I feel the same way. The two gals who were assigned me have been great; the two I was assigned never wrote back after my first letter. Eep!