13 Responses to “Pen Pals: Fondly Remembering My IYS Days”

Comments

Read below or add a comment...

  1. Pen Pals says:

    Yes, pen pals are a great way to learn about different Countries and Cultures!

  2. Ana says:

    It is a pity but finallt IYS youth service closed its door in 30th june of this year 2008…it is a pity cause with this firm i found my best friend, we have been friends for 11 years…it is an interesting method of meeting new people but the internet has “killed” this speciall company.

  3. Evil Woobie says:

    @Ana

    NOOOOOOOOOO!!!

    Omg. I just had a gut wrenching heartbreak. I am so sorry that they closed down.

  4. alanna says:

    hello! i came upon your blog when i was searching info about IYS. i found their website. they have a memo pasted there. i am shocked to know that they have closed down. i wanted to write them a simple thank you for taking part in my most wonderful friendship ever.

    i have found my best friend through IYS. her name is mariella from italy. i first wrote her in 1994. to make long story short. for some reason (lost letters, delays, etc.) we stopped writing each other 13years ago. by some fluke of fate, i joined facebook.com january2009 thats where mariella found me. apparently she had been thinking about me too all those years.

    its sad that the internet technology has ruined the personal touch of letter writing. well, thats the price we have to pay for change.

    thank you IYS!!!! you have build bridges in our hearts.

  5. woobie says:

    @alanna
    Thank you for sharing your story.

    I really feel sorry that kids (inclding my own son) can’t enjoy IYS anymore. So sad….

  6. Hernan Bustelo says:

    After 29 years I’m still looking for my Pen Pal Barbel on Facebook and other Internet sites. Hope you are living a great life.
    Barbel Konieczny
    Kettelerstr. 9
    4717 Nordkirchen 2
    Germany

  7. Helena says:

    Hi,
    I had some penpals, asking always for girls, because I was too shy to write to a boy tthose times… That was in the 80’s!!! The first one’s name was Sharon – from Canada and, althoug I shold have realized, I was in doubt about her sex… after all, “her” face liked as “his” face, but i never asked…
    Another one was Carol, from Corse/France.
    But my dearest friend was an italian girl named Mirella, from Italy. We lost contact and it hurt so much! We never happened to meet each other – it’s a pitty – She told me, on the lasts letter thar I still keep, that she´s got married and have a baby ( may be very grownup!)
    Please, Mirella Citron, read this!!! I miss you too much!!!

  8. mohammad kanfoud says:

    Iam mohammad from egypt , i once had a penpal from germany , that was about
    12 years ago , i lost contact with her after 2 years to continuos communication
    even when she travelled to brasil i kept on sending her , so when she got a letter
    from her sister in germany enclosing a letter from me , she said that was a fantastic surprise .
    we lost comunication a few monthes after that , maybe i still like her till now
    …. she was really a very dear friend that losing her ’s a great loss in deed !!

  9. mohammad kanfoud says:

    if any one knows meike wassmuth , dortmund , germany
    that was my penpal

  10. janine says:

    hi i had a few penpals through iys! one was from west germany his name was olaf hass and one was from france remi..i for get the last name! i lived in new glasgow then! janine.macgillivray…..

  11. Kim Sonter says:

    I have just had a penfriend from Turkey find me on facebook after 15 years of no contact. I was so happy to hear from him. I must have had about 20 penfriends from IYS. I treasured each and every one of them and I used to get a letter every day. Some I had more contact with than others but it was wonderful to see the world through different eyes. I learn’t so much about other cultures and way’s of life. I was lucky enough to meet 2 of my friends who travelled to Australia. This year I saw my German penfriend in Berlin after many years. I am sadend by the news IYS is no longer. I was hoping my children could have the same experience meeting others through the mail. I would like to thank IYS for bringing the world into my heart. It was wonderful to have friends all over the world. I have lost contact with just about everyone which is also sad. But if you are one of my old pen friends please find me on facebook. Mexico, Cyrpress, Egypt, Reunion Island, USA, Kenya, Austria and more.

  12. Naomi says:

    I also made a lot of friends through IYS. I was searching their site hoping to find pen friends for my son and niece. It’s so sad to know they’ve closed shop! Waaah!

  13. Madlen says:

    i made a really good friend through IYS. I am from Germany and she is from Michigan, US. We´ve been writing letters for 12 years now and next year Ill be working in the US and we will finally meet :)
    Its so sad the children today only know the internet, it was so much fun to get a letter every second week or even more often.
    Thanks IYS.

Leave A Comment...

CommentLuv Enabled

Bad Behavior has blocked 502 access attempts in the last 7 days.

The Evil Called Love is Digg proof thanks to caching by WP Super Cache