The Pen Pal Project Newsletter

From the Founder:

I never in my wildest dreams thought that it would go this far. It is about one and half years and the Project has exceeded even my wildest dreams. The Pen Pal Project has worked its way into both of my daughters' schools and is about to become worked into the curriculum for the 4th and 5th grades at the elementary school. I have been told that there might even be a consulting position for me at the school pending approval from the school board. I have also been speaking at some of the other schools throughout the school district. The list is always growing, now up to 1,100 names. I have had to put the childrens' book idea aside temporarily but have started to write a few articles for some teaching magazines. The reason for this is simple, school work. This was the first semester that I have taken more than one class since I was in undergraduate school over twenty years ago. Once again I would like to thank a few people for their help and encouragement and they are Nicholas Scheidt of Lincoln, NE, USA, Seppo Hiltunen of Ulvila, Finland and Joe Frohst of Gelsenkirchen, Germany. These friends have allowed me to set up World Wide Web pages from their server. There are many more to thank but the list would make this a multipage volume. Thank you all for making this a dream come true.

Collecting & Friendship books I know now for a fact that people will collect almost anything. I know one man in the garment industry that collects antique handmade wooden buttons and another woman that collects ceramic animal figures and blue glass from the depression. She tells me that it will put her daughter through college when the time comes. I started collecting stamps, rocks, cactus, books, photography equipment, computer software and a few other things I can't even remember at this writing. One of the most interesting things I guess would be friends. The Pen Pal Project allows me to do that in a big way. One way of making more friends or getting them to be part of the list is to send me a friendship book. For those of you who do not know what they are I will explain. (For those pros please don't be too much of a critic). Simply put, you or a friend makes a blank booklet and sends it to a friend. In it you put your name, address, birthdate and anniversary dates. You then send it to one of your friends in a different place. They then send it to someone else. When the book is filled the last person sends it back to you and you now have a list of new friends.

Other Friends and Services Some of my pen pal friends have also started or have been involved in pen paling groups. One of them is James Zivney. He is an American English teacher in Japan. His organization is the Foreign Correspondent. The address is 4-17-27 Midori, Minami Kawachi, Kawachi-gun, Tochigi 329-04, Japan. Another is Rachel Sipe who publishes Marinara Sauce. This is a newsletter for teens. Her address is 870 Chicago Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA. The last is Anna DiFelice. She is publishing a magazine called `Write On'. Her address is: 530 Rushton Rd. Toronto, ON, M6C 2V5, Canada.

Our address is: Alan Goldberg, The Penpal Project P^3, 1210 Wellington Street, Philadelphia, PA 19111-4227, USA, Internet: a.leo@juno.com Now with three web pages to serve you. http://www.grfn.org/~nscheidt/penpal.htm http://www.pori.tut.fi/~hiltunen/penpal.htm http://www.pori.tut.fi/~hiltunen/alan.htm Get a Friend to Join!

The way to increase this circle of friends is to get a friend to join. Have them send their name, address, birthdate, interests, an optional photo, a money order for $5.00 (a one time fee) and if you are in the USA a legal sized self addressed stamped (4 stamps) envelope. If you are outside the USA please send 5 International Response Coupons.

Your pen pal, Alan Goldberg
The Pen Pal Project
1210 Wellington Street
Philadelphia, PA 19111-4227
USA
alan.goldberg@seekers.com

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A note of interest:
I was informed in one of his last notes to me that Barry Hom has been writing to Kathie Kato for about a year. I did not intend this to be a match making service but best wishes on the relationship that you two have formed.

Lost and Found:

I have not heard from some people and am wondering if anyone else has: Laura and Gabrielle Jacobs of Essex England, Laura Farb of Houston, Texas USA, Sanna Junttanen of Tampere, Finland, Lambert Spix of Cologue, Germany. I am sure that there are a few people that would like to here about your success stories of making new friends. If you have an interesting story or if you had met one of your pen pals tell me about it so we can share stories of the big circle of friends we are forming.

Shared Thoughts

My pen pal friend Sara Edlington wrote to me and said, "A letter is a hand across time and country, it brings with it friendship, happiness and words from one human soul to another. Those few written lines are the bridges we build between cultures, languages and people, with each bridge comes understanding. From understanding comes love in all its forms, and with love we can all do our small bit to help leave this world safer for the next generation."

A note to teachers and parents: Are your children are going to be home this summer sitting around the house being bored? Why not give them a pen pal to share their summer experiences? There is a special rate for classes ($1.00 US per student) and schools. Otherwise check out the information at the top of this page. Teachers should send their request on school letterhead. If you have a lesson that you would like to share with other teachers or homeschoolers then send them here too.
A cross cultural dictionary: A great man once said that the English and Americans were two great countries separated by a common language. What I would like to do a part of the Pen Pal Project is to start a Cross Cultural Dictionary. The Americans say elevator the English say lift. Some Americans say soda others say pop. If you have a word that you would like to find out how it is referred to by someone else that send it here to the "Cross Cultural Dictionary", c/o The Pen Pal Project, 1210 Wellington Street, Philadelphia, PA 19111-4227, USA.