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I thought some people would be interested in this. They need more people on a regular basis. So I thought I would post this page up to help. I found Alice-chan through this address! (read the text below the address before mailing them about a form.. the form should take a few months to come back)
The Japan Penpal Association
P.O. BOX 10
297-102 Nakano Tsukui machi
Tsukui-gun
Kanagawa-ken 220-0207 JAPAN
The Kind of Person You Should Be:
- This is not for the close-minded who won't try new food, learn another language, or a culture. This is for the risk takers who would like to try new things. You will be far more successful if you want to learn the culture and the language. They will open up much faster that way.
- You have to be infinately patient! Especially when talking into the phone with your penpal and waiting for letters.
- This is not for the type of person who gets bored easily.
- You have to have a lot of respect. Also it's not a good idea to swear or use heavy slang.
- Although I am not this, I do try. It's best to have good grammar and spelling to start with and good clarity. Use a dictionary!
- The letters should be short, but not e-mail short. They should range from about 1-5 pages. If you do more than that it will be hard for them to understand (I found out the hard way!)
- If you can draw and illustrate that's a plus, though not necessary.
The Benefits:
- If you are really lucky you can meet them and talk to them on the phone like I have with Alice-chan.
- You get to learn about another culture from someone who is there and grew up there.
- You can learn some of the language, and perhaps get free manga! ^_^ (but you should give them something too!)
- Overall it is a really neat experience that will open up your eyes to how the world works.
- For the really lucky.. like me! You can find someone that suits your personality to a tee and is really smart and nice.. like Alice-chan!
The Risks
- You meet a prejudice Japanese person. Though this is very unlikely (due to the nature of this kind of thing), it could happen.
- The person stops corresponding. This is a risk.. but hey, if that happens get another one.
What to Expect:
- You will get a form to fill out. ^_^ If you can cram it in add manga and anime to their list. ^.~ If you want more in the future they will have you on file and pull it up and send you another one. (Just don't get greedy and take more than you can handle.)
- your penpal will write you first
- It takes sometimes a month or more to get an answer. Where I am it takes about a week for it just to get there. Then it takes another week for them to think of a reply and have the time.. maybe more, then it takes another week for you to recieve the letter. So you have to be super patient, especially through the first run.
- They won't be perfect with English.. hey no one is. So give them a break and try to learn Japanese too. But don't learn Japanese to show off.
- Don't expect the grammar to be perfect, but it should be much better than yours! ^.~
- They will be very polite the first time around, don't get scared of this.. relax them and get them to know you.
- Sometimes they will let you e-mail them, but the generic e-mail format is really hard for them to understand, so write it as you would a regular letter until they have a good grasp in English.
Conclusion:
This is one of the best experiences you could ever have! It's fun and it doesn't take too long to write a letter. The perks out weigh the risks, and nothing is lost by it if it fails. Though this is not for certain people it's worth giving it a shot. ^_^
How to Get the Form
1. Mail them a polite letter in request for the form. Be specific and clear as possible. Check for all grammar and spelling.
2. It might take over 6 months for them to send you the form. Patience is the key. It's even better if you forget about it because you'll get a surprise when it does come.
3. When it does come, follow the directions carefully, print out your name very neatly. Also if you can you can cram in manga and anime if you want for your interests! *grins* (uhh.. though I don't know how they will handle that..)
4. Then send it off. It might take another 6 months or more to get a reply.
NOTE: Honestly, I'm not sure if this will work, but I think it's worth the shot. When I do get a report that it does work, then I will tell you here. I originally got the form through my school. If you do get the form through this method, I would like to know so I can boost everyone else's courage and chances for success. If I do get the form again I will scan it onto here and you can try it that way.
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