We are so lucky to be living in a time where technology exists that allows us to communicate with people all over the world. Our concept of long distance communication is with said technology. The way we perceive time and space in relation to technology and how that has changed tremendously over time is called "space-time compression."

One thing I have really benefited from space-time compression is being able to go online and talk to people from all over the world. One website I frequent is Students of the World, which is, simply put, an online platform that allows students and professors from all over the globe to communicate through email and learn about other cultures and languages. Really anyone can make an account, so I see a lot of diversity in character. There are children as young as 12 (or younger) that also make accounts. The website monitors conversations so usually there aren’t cases in which a young child is conversing with, say, a 40-year-old person. The website is pretty good at staying on top of people’s safety.

I’ve been using this site for approximately 5 or 6 years and I’ve gotten to talk to people from London, China, Brazil, France, Belgium, Norway, Austria, Germany, Sri Lanka, Ireland and even other areas of the United States. My longest friendship lasted almost 3 years. I’ve learned a lot of cool things about the world that aren't covered in standard American schooling. For example, it is commonly known that people from Norway are typically cold and stand-offish, but I didn’t realize how much so until I had exchanged a few emails with one. I am super interested in Norway and Norwegian culture and folklore, so I wanted to ask my e-pal a few questions about that. However, his response was disappointing. He was clearly annoyed and curtly told me to look it up on Wikipedia. I was a little hurt and insulted. Why make a pen pal account if you aren’t interested in talking to people? He quickly realized I was insulted and apologized to me. He explained to me how people are like that in Norway. He told me a little bit about Norway and how it’s becoming more and more Westernized. The experience was interesting and I learned that I can’t take odd responses personally because the differences in cultures can sometimes clash. Needless to say, we didn’t send emails for long, but I’m happy I got to experience the difference in conversation style first-hand.

I am currently talking to a girl from Germany and I’ve really noticed how much we don’t learn about the world in our schooling systems. When she tells me about Germany, I’m almost embarrassed because I mainly only know Germany in the context of the world wars. Germany has a rich history (aside from the obvious horrors of the early/mid 1900s), but I wouldn’t have known about it if not for my pen pal.

There is something fascinating about talking to people my age from all over and learning about the experiences coming into adulthood and going through school/work/internships. It’s amazing learning about how families work and friends hang out. It is embarrassing to be from the United States where most people know a lot about it, but I don’t have much knowledge about the world beyond my country.

I know I’ve mainly talked to people from Western countries, but one important thing that has become evident throughout the years on this site is that we are all not that different. The people I talk to are nice and approachable. Granted, everyone on that website is on there to learn about the world, so there is going to be some similar characteristics, but we all have struggles. We all have a story and passions. We all stumble around while we try to figure out our place in this world. There are a lot of people out there and it is absolutely amazing to hear their stories.

I highly encourage everybody to find an e-pal or pen pal. I’ve gotten postcards, which I still have, from Athens, Amsterdam and Prague. You can learn about traditional cuisines, politics, schooling systems, religion, family dynamics, music, etc. Having someone to talk to that isn’t from your country or state is a novelty because their world is far enough from your own that there is a lot of learn and share, but ultimately there are so many parallels.

The most important aspect I have become aware of through being a pen pal is my own culture and way of living. I have definitely noticed how culturally unaware I am, as well as how privileged I am living in the United States. I’ve learned that the United States is very diverse in numbers and demographics, but culturally we lack that same breadth and awareness. I’ve learned that my values are similar to others all over and that the world is a huge, beautiful place to explore. It is the people who make a culture, and the sooner we realize the beauty and one-ness of our existence, the sooner we will live in peace. I know that sounds completely new-age and hippie of me, but so far I’ve found it to be true. “We’re all humans and we can make the world better for everyone if we help each other,” my pen pal from Germany said recently. I’ve gotten to glimpse of a beautiful and hopeful part of human kind that is much more common than we often think.

Moral of the story: Reach out to people all over the world. Especially now, when there is so much ugliness, fear and hate going on. We need to reach out and form connections and show love, compassion and support. Having pen pals are wonderful because the world seems a little less scary when you have friends everywhere and you open yourself up to the good that is happening every day.