Abu Dhabi mum starts pen pal initiative for kids stuck at home

A new local initiative is bringing back a touch of the good ol' days by matching kids in the country looking for letter-writing buddies

Pen pals have been a popular concept for a long time. As a teenager, I used to pore over Indian magazines that had listings of those interested in becoming pen pals. It usually came with some personal details, interests and an address to address letters to. Although I never actually wrote to anyone, the concept of having a pen pal always fascinated me. As the world continues to grapple with the novel coronavirus and lockdowns, some parents are turning to such old-but-gold ideas to engage and entertain their children.
#UAEPenPals is British national Asha Sherwood's modern take on the concept. Talking about the inspiration for the idea, she says, "We'd been home for two weeks and my seven-year old daughter and I had exhausted several arts and crafts projects," she said. "Distance learning had already begun and Poppy was spending several hours on the screen. As an only child, I could see that she was starting to get bored. I also desperately wanted something away from a screen to keep her engaged."
It was during a discussion on all the things Asha used to do as a youngster that she mentioned how they used to have pen pals. "Poppy was amazed when I told her how we had to wait for weeks and, sometimes, even months for letters to come. Today, children who are used to instant messaging services cannot even comprehend the notion of having to wait that long for someone to respond."
Stoked by her daughter's curiosity, Asha wondered if she couldn't perhaps organise something similar for her little girl. Naturally, she sought to avoid involving the element of postal services due to the current pandemic. "That's when I came up with an idea that seemed to offer the best of both worlds: I could take a photo of her letter and send it to another parent, who could then print it out and give it to the pen pal. This eliminated the waiting period, while meeting the requirements for a contactless method."
To her delight, Poppy was soon paired up with an older girl, her mum's friend's daughter. "Liz and I were friends but her teenage daughter Lucie and Poppy did not know each other," said the expat mum. "When I mentioned the project, Liz was thrilled and soon got Lucie on board."
For Liz Totten, it was a way for her daughter to experience something that she had enjoyed as a kid. "As a school girl in America, I had a pen pal who lived in France," says the Abu Dhabi resident. "It was a collaboration organised by this school in France that wanted their students to improve their English by writing to American pen pals. I remember it as one of the most enjoyable things I did as a youngster. I used to be so excited whenever I got mail from my pen pal, and would write back immediately, so that I could get her response quicker. We never got to meet, but I had a very close friend in her and the experience is something I always look back on fondly."
So far, Asha says, it has been a great experience for Poppy. "In her first letter, Poppy asked Lucie what she liked about living in Abu Dhabi and Lucie replied that she enjoyed its diversity the most. Despite hailing from a very diverse family, Poppy had no idea what the word meant. She looked it up and was quite excited about learning a new word. So, apart from being friends with someone older, who she might not have interacted with otherwise, the initiative has also helped her improve her vocabulary and writing skills."
Did Lucie find it a little boring to be writing to a seven-year-old? "Absolutely not," she tells us. "It was actually quite interesting for many reasons. I found the idea of writing letters very exciting. I usually text or call people, so it's nice to go back to such an authentic form of communication. Also, I have a lot of friends my age and our conversations are usually centred around our common interests."
In that regard, communication with Poppy is quite different, said Lucie. "She asked me in one of her letters what my favorite toy was - and I just had to stop and think, because I hadn't been asked that question in a long time. Poppy is such a sweet and imaginative person, so it's interesting to learn more about her ideas and her personality. At a time of such chaos when I have been indoors, without being able to meet my friends or teachers, this is a very nice distraction."
The initiative has been gaining popularity since its launch. "We have been getting a great response and are very happy to match people up with pen pals," said Asha. "However, we are equally happy that many are looking into their own communities and matching their children with others for an initiative like this."
(If you wish to participate in the initiative, Asha can be contacted on asha@abudhabireview.com.)
wknd@khaleejtimes.com