Due to Covid-19 and the travel restrictions to Germany for Americans, a representative from Hamm's International Circle of Friends (ICF - their equivalent to our Sister City Association) approached us with the idea to have, instead of penpals, “WhatsApp pals”. Several SCA members were interested and signed up!
They have since been matched up with folks in Hamm and are in regular contact with their new friends whom they have only met online. The reports we have heard are:
"It's fun!"
"I really like my new Hamm friends!"
"We can't wait till we are able to travel again so we can meet our new friends."
Would you like to have a German WhatsApp pal? If so, please email karen@acrossthelanguages.com to sign up for this program. You will need to provide the following:
Your full name and (if any) your nickname
Your age or age range
Your gender
Preferred gender of WhatsApp pal
Your phone number
Your email address
Your interests
Your past travel destinations
Your favorite types of music
Anything else that you think might be of interest to your new friends
You will then be matched with someone in Hamm that would like to communicate with you. Don't worry if you don't know German. Nearly everyone in Germany speaks and writes English well.
Be sure to download WhatsApp, if you don't already have it. It's FREE!