Okay, so I’ve been wanting to connect with more people from different countries, you know, just expand my horizons a bit. I decided to focus on Germany because, well, I’ve always been fascinated by their culture. Beer, cars, history… you name it.
First, I scoured the internet for some pen pal websites. There are tons out there, but I wanted something legit, not some sketchy site filled with bots. I finally settled on a couple that seemed pretty popular and had good reviews.
Next up, I created a profile. I tried to be honest and, well, me. I talked about my hobbies – which are mainly binge-watching shows and trying not to kill my houseplants. I also mentioned I was looking to learn more about German life.
- Filled out the “interests” section with things like “movies,” “music,” and “trying new foods.”
- Uploaded a decent picture of myself. Not a selfie, but one where I wasn’t making a weird face.
- Wrote a short bio describing myself and what I was looking for.
Then came the waiting game. I sent out a few messages to people who seemed interesting. Mostly just a “Hi, how’s it going?” kind of thing, nothing too intense. I figured I’d start simple.
Surprisingly, I got a few replies! One person, in particular, seemed really cool. We exchanged a couple of messages, and it turned out we had a lot in common. We both love the same cheesy 80s movies, for example!
Building The Connection
We moved from the pen pal site to regular email, which felt a bit more personal. We started sharing more about our daily lives. I told her about my crazy work stories, and she told me about her university classes. It was really interesting to hear about life in Germany, not just the touristy stuff, but the everyday things.
We’ve even started doing video calls! It was a little awkward at first, especially with the time difference, but it’s gotten easier. My German is still terrible, but she’s been really patient and helps me with new words. She says my English is pretty good, which is a relief!
It’s still early days, but it’s been a really cool experience so far. I’m actually learning a lot, not just about Germany, but about myself too. It’s amazing how connecting with someone from a different culture can open your eyes to new things. Who knew making friends from Germany could be this fun and… surprisingly easy?
