Back at school, lots of us dreamed of having a pen pal. Someone writing to you from the other side of the world and telling you about their life. Good news: it still exists, and it's even easier than before.
The easiest way to find a pen pal is through a pen pal website or app. You write a first letter, it goes to someone, and if that person replies, you're off. There are other ways too: school exchanges, associations or groups built around a hobby. It all depends on what you're looking for.
Start by knowing what you're looking for
Do you want to practise a language? Discover a country? Or just have someone to write to now and then? There's no wrong answer. But it changes where you should look.
If it's the language you're after, the best is to land on someone who speaks it every day. If it's travel, let chance pick the country. And if you just feel like writing, chance does a great job too.
Where to look for a pen pal
- Pen pal websites and apps. It's the quickest way: you create an account, you write and your letter finds someone.
- School exchanges. Lots of schools organise them with a school abroad.
- Associations and clubs. Some put people from different countries in touch, often around a language or a hobby.
- Social media. There are plenty of people there, but nothing is built for it. Messages get lost quickly and you need to be more careful.
How it works on Nocturya
We made Nocturya to keep things simple. You write your letter and your star carries it to a stranger somewhere in the world, or just in your own country if you prefer. It arrives in a few minutes. If the person replies, you're pen pals.
You don't have to scroll through profiles or pick someone from a photo. Chance decides, and that's a big part of the charm. If you don't speak the same language, there's a Translate button.
Your first letter
This is often where people get stuck. You don't need a perfect letter. Say hello, describe a small moment from your day and ask a question. That's enough to get the conversation going.
We wrote a whole article about it, with three examples to adapt: “What to write in a first letter to a stranger”.
What if nobody replies?
It happens, and it's not a big deal. The person might not have time, or might not feel like writing right now. Write another one. The right person might be waiting at the end of the next one.
A few precautions
A pen pal is still someone you don't know. Keep your address, your phone number and your full name to yourself, at least at the start. If someone makes you uncomfortable, you can block or report them. We go into more detail in our article on the dangers of an online pen pal.
And if you're under eighteen, Nocturya isn't for you. Ask your school instead: many organise exchanges with students from other countries.
A letter sent to a stranger, somewhere in the world. It crosses the sky like a shooting star and lands in a few minutes.
Write a letter
