Pals are the Best When They Are Penpals

Did you have a PenPal?  I ask you this random question not because that's what I usually do.  I pose this question because June 1st is National Penpal day.  I vaguely remember that I did have a Penpal when I was in elementary school back in the 80's.  I think the setup was somewhat strange as we wrote to like the neighboring school, 5 minutes away.  It's not like our letters were going to Paris or anything like that.

If I could go back to my young self I assume my letter started off like this:

Dear Penpal,  My name is Eric and I clean my ears on a regular basis.  Do you?  I tend to spend 26 more seconds on my right ear than I do my left.  Makes sense, right?  I'm right handed so I think my right ear must be more important than my left like my arm.  Do you like Menudo?  Best Music Group ever.

I don't remember ever getting a response from a Penpal.  To this day I don't understand why. Oh well, hopefully you have had better success with Penpals.  Do people still have Penpals?  Since everything is typed these days, are they called computer pals?  I mean isn't snapchat, instagram, twitter and facebook the modern day version of this?  Just like talking to a person instead of texting, there is something genuine about a hand written letter.  Even if I wanted to have a Penpal at age 45 I couldn't.  Since my handwriting looks like I am in the 2nd grade, the person in Paris would think it's a joke.