After 43 years of corresponding by mail, two pen pals, one hailing from Newfoundland and the other from Singapore, finally met face-to-face this week.
Sonya Clarke Casey shared, “We have been exchanging our highs and lows through letters for decades. We always closed our letters with ‘I hope someday we will meet.’ But it seemed like a distant dream.”
Clarke Casey and Michelle Anne Ng first connected as pen pals in 1983 through a school program when they were both in Grade 5.
They initiated their pen pal relationship and have continued writing to each other ever since.
After 43 years of exchanging letters, two pen pals from Newfoundland and Singapore met in person for the first time this week. The CBC’s Laura Howells brought us that story.
Sitting side by side in St. John’s, the two women go through piles of letters they’ve cherished over the years: handwritten notes, decorative stationery, and envelopes with personal touches.
Clarke Casey chuckled as she read a letter she penned in 1992: “The weather is getting warmer here. Today it’s 4 degrees! Do you have a boyfriend yet?”
Ng presented another letter where she discussed her fondness for the song 99 Luftballoons: “It’s a lengthy four-page letter!” she exclaimed, while Clarke Casey reminisced about her excitement upon receiving such a detailed message.
During their youth, they eagerly anticipated each other’s letters, which took weeks to traverse the distance between them.
Ng shared insights about life in Singapore, sending clippings about local teen culture, while Clarke Casey wrote from Carbonear, N.L., including a hand-drawn map of her favorite swimming spot. Sonya recalled informing Michelle about the visit of Prince Charles and Princess Diana to Harbour Grace and the thrill of seeing them in person.
Their correspondence became a cultural exchange and marked the inception of a lifelong friendship.
As the letters accumulated, their bond grew stronger, weathering university, travels, and life milestones. Clarke Casey even informed Ng about her first pregnancy through a letter.
“Reflecting on your life and wondering what you were doing in 1984 is quite nostalgic,” remarked Clarke Casey. “Those letters are the only reliable source of that information.”
As technology advanced, they incorporated email and Facetime into their communication, yet they continued to exchange handwritten letters.
“Receiving a physical letter in the mail is incomparable,” emphasized Clarke Casey.
Ng vividly recalled her excitement upon receiving her first letter from Carbonear, N.L.
Similarly, Sonya reminisced about the thrill of her father bringing in the mail and sharing newfound knowledge about Singapore with her parents.
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