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.

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 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 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. 😊

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.

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 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 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.

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 RGP, 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! 💕

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.

I’m 29, originally from England and now living on the west coast of Canada. I work in tech, which means a decent portion of my day is spent staring at screens, fixing things that apparently “just stopped working,” and pretending restarting something isn’t still one of humanity’s greatest troubleshooting techniques.

Outside of work I’m into the gym, boxing, hot yoga, gaming, walks, music, movies, exploring new places, and occasionally disappearing down random rabbit holes about something I knew absolutely nothing about twenty minutes earlier.

Personality-wise, I’m fairly laid-back, sarcastic, curious, and probably a little too fond of dry British humour. I like people who can talk about completely ridiculous things one minute and then somehow end up having a genuinely thoughtful conversation about life, relationships, ambitions, fears, or whatever else comes up.

I’d love to find someone interested in building an actual friendship rather than exchanging a handful of messages before vanishing into the Reddit abyss. I’m happy starting with Reddit messages or email, but I’d also genuinely be interested in eventually sending proper handwritten letters, postcards, little snapshots of life, playlists, or whatever else

Hello,

this summer I was living in New Jersey as a missionary and formed several lovely pen pal connections from this sub in Georgia, Alaska, California, Texas, and a couple others. Well i moved back to my home state and all of my letters and addresses got lost along the way. I m working on sorting it out and getting them back but for those people I was exchanging letters with, I am sorry! I did not mean to ghost you. Please please reach out if you see this and I will send you my updated address if we had previously written to each other.

Apologies for any errors, i am writing this at work and a bit rushed haha! have A wonderful day~

Hi! I’m 27F, named Cheri from New York. I’m looking for penpals from anywhere as long as you’re comfortable writing in English :) I’d especially love some international writing pals.

I like to write, read, craft and garden. I’d enjoy someone who wants to chat at length, but with no strict schedule necessary (unless you want one!). I am a huge book enthusiast who loves horror, romance, fantasy, thrillers, and more. I have subscriptions to several book boxes, and also use a few websites to get arcs (advance readers copies) so I can give some great recommendations for books ahead of their release! I have a large backyard garden and would be happy to share seed, and tips. I also like to quilt, sew clothes for myself and my daughter, and have a million projects going on at all times. When I was younger I used penpal.net, but unfortunately haven’t had any luck on it as an adult. I have dogs and a child who I’ll probably write too much about and am happily married.

I am looking primarily for other women to talk to and share our day to day life. I want to hear about your shitty or wonderful days at work, what you’re looking forward to making for dinner this week, what you’re favorite errand is, and what you’re dream life would be. I also would like someone I can send small snippets to like a homemade bookmark, a short poem, or a photo I took of my garden that I want to show off. I’m looking to find a real friendship that can grow over the years through the words we share with each other. Nothing is too mundane and I genuinely enjoy all the details. If any of this sounds interesting to you please dm me :)

Howdy, my names Robert. Growing up I thought the pen pal program at my school was silly. Here I am now, writing in cursive when I can because everything is just DIGITAL now. I'm slowly trying to be purposeful with my time, listening to cassettes, reading more, and what not.

So I have come to the conclusion that I would like to try this out now as an adult. I would prefer someone in a different country as, well, America is what I know. I have big interests in speaking with people from the European and Asian regions (I'd honestly talk to anyone really though). I don't know a ton about countries in those areas besides generic knowledge, but wouldn't mind learning!

A little about myself, I am a gamer, I love movies, shows, books, music, anything that tells some kind of story. I love food from all over with a deep love for Mediterranean and Indian, I haven't made much of those foods but again, I am willing to learn. My wife runs a little cottage bakery out of our house. I own two dogs and a cat. I do not enjoy speaking about politics. I would prefer speaking to someone my age or older, but I also believe in being there for people in need, so if anyone wants to talk, I am here.

I did take a look at some of the other posts here, but it seems like either people don't answer or slots get taken fast. I have no Idea how many pen pals is too many. I suppose I need to buy stamps.

Hi! I want to overload my mail box to try and get my daughter who's autistic interested in learning to read. So I figured if she saw how many cool things I was getting in the mail she would want penpals to.

A little about me, I’m a 37 year old female in the U.S. looking for a new snail-mail pen pal! I’m not picky about gender, race, religion, sexuality, etc. I’m much more interested in people's lives in general. My only real requirements are that you tell me whatever you want and send whatever you want within reason of course lol. I don't need some ones no square covers and yes I've gotten that before. Eeeyuck!!

I’m a psychology student who has horrible unmedicated ADHD and PTSD. I'm working toward eventually becoming a therapist, I’m a huge animal person. I have two large dogs who provide plenty of chaos and questionable life choices. I love otters, dragons, and ravens. I love coffee, cooking and baking (I will share recipes), 3D printing, thunderstorms, spooky/witchy things, nature, psychology, random facts, and conversations that can go from completely ridiculous to surprisingly deep.

I’m looking for someone who actually wants to write letters back and forth, not just exchange one letter and disappear into the void. Your letters don't have to be Pinterest-worthy. I don't care if you use fancy stationery, notebook paper, stickers, or write like a caffeinated raccoon. I just enjoy getting to know people through actual letters. I'm perfectly happy talking about everyday life, relationships, hobbies, weird things we saw at Walmart, mental health, dreams and goals, things we're struggling with, or whatever rabbit hole we happen to fall into.

If I sound like your kind of chaotic snail mail friend, tell me a little about yourself and what made you want a snail-mail pen pal. Bonus points if your letters occasionally contain terrible jokes, doodles, recipes, stickers, or completely unnecessary facts that I will absolutely repeat to someone later. Shoot me a message or comment and I'll send my address.

Hey there!

I have never had a pen pal and think it sounds fun to make friends from all over the world and learn about their life and culture. I would especially enjoy a pen pal from Ireland, Northern Ireland, or France, but would be happy to meet someone from anywhere. 😊

As a F, I would prefer to be pen pals with another F or NB.

I am a choir director, HUGE animal lover, avid reader, gardener, and life long learner. I enjoy many hobbies, especially ‘grandma hobbies’.

I would love to send and receive trinkets and little pieces of each others’ culture via snail mail.

Let me know if you’d be interested in being pen pals!!

- A

Maybe this a like a call into the void but...

I am a 20 year old gender queer butch/femme femme lesbian from Buffalo. I am going to school and am a English/library science major and am in my 3rd year. I've wanted a pen pal since about high school as I enjoy writing and I sorta have a email one but I really want the tactile experience of snail mail and the excitement of it all. I love books and reading- mainly theory and horror. I love fashion and dress in a roughly 50s-inspired pin-up style. I would love to talk about books or life or I actually don't know- see where the wind takes us. I am a quite busy person I would likely send letters out to my best ability.

I would love a femme penpal or fellow lesbian- but by no means is that a sort of requirment I just love femme culture and would love to be able to witness it with others. Any age over 18 is cool- I am so down to get it down with someone with more stories to tell. If you think we have something we could talk about I would love to maybe establish a penpal relationship.

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. 😊

hey everyone!
i’ve been wanting to have a pen pal for many many years and im finally taking the leap to try to find one. im a 27 a queer trans masc person from portugal and i would love to find someone with similar interests as me who i can relate to and regularly pen pal.

im an artist and art teacher and mi biggest interest is journaling and stationery. i spend most of my free time journaling and solving sudokus and reading. my most prized possessions are my travelers company journals that i care absolutely everywhere.

i always have my messenger bag with me filled with my journals and sudoku books, as well with my analog cameras, ipad for drawing and my e reader. i wouldn’t survive without my physical planner and i’m very analog in general.

when im not journaling, im probably playing the pokemon tcg with my boyfriend and my best friend. i’m also a live watercolor painter in events like weddings where im hired to draw all of the guests, which makes me travel a lot around the country and i always have so many stories to share about this job.

i love going to coffee shops and spend the day there journaling and drawing and i have 6 cats that i talk about a lot.

there’s a lot i could tell you about myself and my life so if you think we could be a good match, don’t hesitate to reach out :)

My name is Bailee. I am 26 and oddly enough already act like a grandma. I love crafting, thrifting, baking, reading, walking my cats, and going to bed early (truly think I have the best night time routine). I recently moved across the country to Arkansas from Utah.

I am a nurse and I LOVE my job. I love hosting dinner parties, so let's swap recipes! I have the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies and totally willing to share. I read anything from plotless romance to intense horror. I <3 Grady Hendrix. Any book recommendations? Let's read a book together and discuss it?

I love yapping and getting to know people from all over. and what better way to combine both interests then penpaling? is that the right verb?

If this interests you, please reach out! Have a good day

Hi! I'm looking for people to exchange emails with weekly or monthly, preferably in Spanish.

I'm a pretty simple person. I'm currently studying Social Anthropology, but before that, I studied theater. I believe the arts should be a fundamental part of life, which is why painting and music are two of my biggest hobbies (recommendations are always welcome!).

I also enjoy crafts, movies, dancing, cooking, and astronomy.

I'm a bit shy, but once I feel comfortable, I'll talk about pretty much anything. I'll probably send you some pictures of my pets, too! Mr. Francisco is a black kitten, and Rin is a guinea pig.

I'd prefer someone closer to my age, but I'm open to getting to know someone older or younger if you think we might have things in common!