Skip being left on seen, sliding into DMs or trying to make small talk. There’s a nostalgic meetup unfolding in Mumbai this week that encourages slowing down and savouring the art of letter writing to make new friends. Pen pals, to be specific. But here’s the ironic little twist – you send your letters to complete strangers not through snail mail, but in person while they’re in the room with you. This one-of-a-kind gathering, called Letters To Strangers: Pen Pal Mixer, is happening on October 12.
Letter writing instead of small talk
Lighthearted icebreakers and prompts like ‘write a letter to a place you’ve never been to but ache to visit’ get every attendee’s creativity flowing. Yes, your cursive handwriting is probably rusty and worse than a doctor’s scrawl after years of typing and voice notes. Soon, these practical inhibitions fall away, and participants lose themselves in the therapeutic process of writing. Letter writing is as healing as journaling. Except, another human being reads and cherishes your diary entry.
Your letters end up with someone else, and you get to read and take away another person’s letter as a keepsake, becoming pen pals. Your new friend might not know mundane details of your life, like the university you went to, but they’ll know how a place or a photo made you feel. It’s your chance to form friendships that will truly see you.
A community of like-minded people
“Who even handwrites grocery lists anymore, let alone letters!” you must be wondering. Which is exactly what makes this gathering poetic. In a world where inanimate AI drafts work emails and wedding invitations and banter has devolved into abbreviations and emojis, letter writing is a revolutionary act reclaiming what makes us undeniably human – our ability to emote and connect through language.
The sessions include a personal letter-writing kit, a beverage and a closing ritual to help cement a sense of community. Founded by Mumbai-based poet and actor Shrutee Choudhary, these Letters To Strangers sessions are intimate events that only accommodate a handful of people. Get tickets here before spots run out!
💵: INR 499 per person
👉🏽: More info @lettersfromabetterplace on Instagram
📍: Kitaabghar Reading Room & Bookshop, Veera Desai Road, Andheri West