Sandbook: Penpals and Swappers Site & Giveaway!

Welcome to a new post belonging to "The person behind the letter-writer". Penpalling & Letters today's guest is the Sandbook Team from Sandbook: Penpals and Swappers Site. Our guests will reveal facts, unknown until now, from Sandbook; they will also let us know about a surprise which is taking place at their website at the moment, and of course, directed to all the penpallers all over the world!

- Hello Sandbook Team! Welcome to Penpalling & Letters! Thanks for visiting us and for participating in The person behind the letter-writer! We are really looking forward to know more about the website and about what you are preparing right now!

Hello to everybody! We are very happy to be here sharing with all of you our projects in Sandbook!

- Could you tell us when did Sandbook Penpals and Swappers Site get started?

Sandbook Penpals and Swappers Site is online and running since November, 11th 2008 when we established its name and started building our community. Over the years, we managed to apply a lot of new features and sections to our website in response to our users opinions and suggestions. That is how SandbookNet evolved to the community that it is today. Thank you all for the support! We hope that we can continue to connect people and ideas throughout the world.

- What was the reason to start the website?

My name is Raia and I have been penpalling ever since I started learning English, which was more than fifteen years ago. Penpalling has been a vital part of my life and have helped me through some really hard times in my life as well. It helped me make sense of my crushes, my High School Drama and, of course, it has helped me throughout my life. Moreover, penpalling has allowed me to visit distant parts of the world on the expense of a letter. I have always tried to help my penpals connect with other penpals of mine by passing their addresses on. My hobby naturally became a website where people can post ads and connect with pen pals around the globe.

- I am really curious to know why you named it "Sandbook". Could you explain why did you choose this name?

Oh, it was quite hard to think about a name for a Penpalling and Swapping Website. Initially, I was trying to come up with a name that has the word "penpal" in the name, but they were all taken. I was around a swimming-pool with my friends, when we started pitching ideas about its name. There were some really funny names for websites, but eventually we all came up to the "message in a bottle" idea. We wanted to incorporate that old fashioned but yet romantic touch to the name of our website. Since most of our ideas were sadly taken, we decided to craft our own unique name. We came up with Sandbook as a way to incorporate that unique rush that you get when you discover the content of a letter. Of course, "sand" came from the original "message in the bottle – seaside idea" and of course the "book" is in the name to represent the start of an unique friendship.

- Could you tell us who is behind Sandbook, the people who form the Sandbook Team and the function/work each member of the team holds?

It might come out as a surprise for most, but the people behind SandbookNet aren't too many. The SandbookNet Team consists of two equally important parts: our technical support team and the writers in our penpal magazine. In fact, our technical support team is headed by our designer Aspeia from Gaya Designs, our IT go to guy, Jason, and me, Raia, as chief editor. Unlike any other website for penpals and FB swaps, we give anyone the opportunity to become a vital part of our team. I want to take a moment to thank our constant Sandbook Penpal Magazine writers – Rach Gee from Glass Completely Empty Productions (who has this big penpal movie project), Samantha Stroy with her Pages "Samantha’s Thoughts", Paula Milburn "UNESCO" series and last but not least Bea from Penpalling and Letters. Thank you all for the support, ideas and constant hard work!

- Besides the typical penpal and swapper ads section that many penpal sites present, which other sections can we find when visiting Sandbook?

SandbookNet started as a website purely for online ads for penpals and swappers. Over time, we expanded the ads and divided them into more detailed sections so that all the ads may have some structure. Of course, that allowed a really easier navigation through the ads that are placed on our website. Couple of months later, we started running the "PenPal of the Month" Contest and, steadily, as we gained more popularity we started thinking about other sections that might interest a penpal who is on SandbookNet. That is how we came up with the "Birthday Twin" section. Ever since I started penpalling I have always wanted to penpal with someone born on my date. For over fifteen years of active penpalling I couldn't actually make my dream come true. So this was basically my attempt to find my birthday twin penpal and a lot of people joined the project. We have over one hundred people on our birthday twin list. Eventually, we added the "FB" (Friendship Books) section in the website. It is all about those FB's that we swap in the snail mail. We have included some free templates for FB's, label bags and address labels, and information about how FB's are played.

In order to celebrate SandbookNet's second birthday we came up with, yet, another project: A free digital penpal magazine which first issue was released on November, 11th 2010. It is a monthly magazine that is released in pdf format and that you can download from our website. Its focus is on correspondence, penpalling experience and the lifestyle that a penpal has. Each issue has unique penpalling stories, games and articles that we strongly feel will interest most of the penpals. We are always searching for guest writers or team writers, so contact us if you would like to become one. We are always on the lookout for new and interesting stories.
As the SandbookNet Penpal Magazine developed, we developed the "Traveling Notebook" Project and, of course, sections on our website. The "Pen Pal Interviews Section" followed. We are really excited about all of our projects and we take pride in being able to connect penpals, not only through website ads, but also through all the games that we have going on on our website!

- Could you tell us about some of the projects you are running at the moment?

There are several projects/games on our website at the moment. We have our monthly contest "PenPal of the Month", where you can nominate a friend. We basically want to know what makes that friend your best friend and why you should think that your friend deserves to win the contest. Obviously, the better you argue your case, the greater the chance that you will be selected as the winners. Actually, when the nomination is selected as the winning one, we contact both the nominator and the nominee with the good news as both of them are winning awards that are shipped via snail mail. You can check all the rules and instructions for it at: "PenPal of the Month Contest".
Another project that we have are the "Penpal Interviews". It is a short inquiry about your penpalling experiences and it helps to present the penpal and his/her country. You can leave your contact information with your answers to the interview so you can find new penpals really easily. Moreover, you can give your interview a personal touch by submitting photos of your handwriting, of you and your friends/country. The Penpal Interviews are a way to present people who are searching for penpals and to let them find penpals easily. The interviews are printed in our penpal magazine as well as included in our website: "Penpal Interviews in Sandbook".

I always think about our "Birthday Twins" project with great excitement. It helps connecting penpals from around the world who are born on the same date and, in some cases, even the same year! How cool would it be to have a penpal who would never forget your birthday? You can browse the section on our website and check if there is a birthday twin already waiting for you. To participate you will need to send us your information so we can upload it on our website.
Yet, another project that we have going on right now are the "Travelling Notebooks". They are basically notebooks that are passed in a specific order that is predetermined as the people sign up for the real travelling notebooks. You will receive the notebook in your mail and you will have to decorate some pages on a theme you want – it might be your life, your country or town, your favourite things/hobbies, etc. You will be asked to snap photos of your entry in the notebook so that we will have a back up "notebook" in case the real one gets lost in the mail. If you are not really willing to wait for the real travelling notebook to arrive, you can always sign up for the "Travelling sheets". They are basically A5 sized sheets that you decorate as if they were part of the travelling notebook, but you will send it to us via mail so that we can upload them in a "virtual" travelling notebook. If that sounds interesting, please visit our "Travelling Notebook"section.
The latest project of ours is our Mega Giveaway, where you can win three super cool awards. It ends on July 10th, 2011 so hurry up and check it out! You could be our winner!!!

- Can penpals and swappers participate or collaborate with you in any of the projects actively?

Yes, absolutely! We are always looking forward to new authors, topics and ideas for our penpal magazine and of course for the website. So anyone who enjoys penpalling and has a story that he/she wants to share with our friends is more than welcome to contact us. You can email us at: info[at]sandbook[dot]net or directly email me at: raiasandbook[at]gmail[dot]com.

- Would you like to tell us which special feature are you running at the moment in Sandbook?

We try to bring out contests and games for penpals in our website. Right now, we have this huge Sandbook Megagiveaway that is going on until July 10th, 2011. The awards are three and are a mega stationery set, a notebook and, of course, a set of used stamps for collectors. You can choose to play for one or for all. And just as any giveaway you can participate in it with several entries – via a comment on our website, by twitting or facebooking about the giveaway (just be sure to tag us so we can count the entry). All the rules of the contest are placed on "Sandbook Net Penpals and Swappers Site" where you can check them out and participate.

Good luck everyone in the Sandbook Megagiveaway and hopefully you had a great time getting to know the team behind Sandbook and their activity in detail!

Thanks a lot for participating in The person behind the letter-writer! I always enjoy working together with guests and interact exchanging ideas and thoughts on penpalling. You know you are always welcome to Penpalling & Letters whenever you wish to visit us again!

If you would like to read more posts from "The person behind the letter-writer" section check the links you can find at: The person behind the letter-writer.

If you are interested in being featured in "The person behind the letter-writer" because you have a cute shop, you are crafty and would like to present your creations, you have an ability and would like to tell us about it... contact me at: penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com and we will work it out!

Midsummer

Have you already prepared your baggage? We have an appointment today to start a new trip through Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background. We are stopping at the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe, in a country bathed by the Baltic Sea. 15% of its territory lies north of the Arctic Circle and more than 50% of its land area is covered with forests. It's the land of Pippi Longstocking, Nils Holgerssons, Ingrid Bergman, Greta Garbo, Björn Borg, ABBA or Roxette... Then it is not difficult to guess we are visiting Sweden today!

Hello Sandra and welcome to Penpalling & Letters! Thanks for your visit and sharing knowledge from your country with all the readers! Would you like to tell us a bit about you and the place you live?

Hello everybody! As you know my name is Sandra. I live in the County Värmland, about 250 kilometres west of Sweden capital, Stockholm. In December, 2007 we bought a cute house out in the forest, in a little village called Bjurtjärn. The village is from the 17th century. There are no shopping areas around here, mostly houses and forest. Nature would be the most important thing to see here, I guess. We are about 1201 inhabitants, and the biggest working place is the school. Many of us work in surrounding cities, like Karlskoga, Kristinehamn or Storfors. They are all located about 20 kilometres far from Bjurtjärn.

Would you like to tell us about your experiences in the world of letters, Sandra?

I started penpalling when I was a kid. At first, I started writing to Swedish pals I found in magazines, then I continued to get pals trough IYS-International Youth Service. I am still in touch with my longest-lasting penpal trough e-mail and now she is on Facebook, too. We don't write letters to each other anymore, though. At about the age of 16 I stopped penpalling because other stuff caught my attention. As we moved out here and I had kids, evenings got quite boring, especially since I don't watch tv. I searched for a hobby, remembered penpalling, and through Facebook and Interpals I got quite a few which I have been writing to for some years now!
I also started collecting postcards last year as I would love to do scrapbooking albums with them. I am a postcrosser and I got to know about it trough my pals on Facebook.
I also love anything to do with letter-writing: stationery, stickers, pens... I always write with my Pilot Frixion ball-pen, though. I collect Hello Kitty stuff and anything else my pals like to send me!

Are you looking for penpals at the moment?

I'm always on the look out for penpals whom I can find a real click to. Unfortunately, my muscle problem (fibromyalgia) makes it harder and harder for me to keep on writing. Most of my pals accept it, though, and are very understanding about my late replies! :)
Anyhow the click with pals is important because I want friends whom I eventually might meet for real. I like talking about anything in my letters, family problems, happiness, what makes them scared or sad... I love long letters and I can go on and on... page after page! ;) Sharing our lives is a important thing for me!

And now Sandra is ready to tell us about Midsummer celebrations in Sweden!

As most of you know, Sweden is a country in the north of Europe which has short summers and where the Sun hardly sets during this season. During "Midsummer" many people begin their five-week annual holiday.
The European Midsummer related holidays are of pre-Christian origin. It is particularly important in northern Europe, for example: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. But they can also be found in Ireland, parts of Britain, France and Italy. The Swedes seem to celebrate midsummer more intensely than other countries.
Originally, when the Vikings ravaged in Scandinavia and many other places, midsummer was a fertility rite. The maypole was a phallic symbol, which was supposed to fertilize Mother Nature in hope that the harvest would be good later during the year.
Although midsummer is originally a pagan holiday, in Christianity it is associated with the nativity of John the Baptist.
Formerly, Midsummer in Sweden was celebrated on the 23rd-24th, June, but since 1953 the celebration has been moved to the Friday and Saturday between the 19th and 26th, June, with the main celebrations taking place during Friday.

Midsummer night has always been the night when magic happens, the nature was filled with hidden powers. Especially the dew was considered magical and was used to heal sickness and all kinds of wounds. You could also add some to the dough when baking and the bread would be bigger and much tastier. Perhaps we should try!
Birch trees, which also were said to be powerful, could be used as a bandage and if you put some night leaves in your bath it eased the pain.
This is also the magical night when elves come out to dance and if you look hard, perhaps you could also see a troll between the trees!
When I was younger, and as many other Swedish girls, I believed in magic during this night. It is said that if you are all alone and don't speak a word to anyone, pick seven to nine different flowers and put them under your pillow, you will dream of your future husband.

Around Sweden many people begin their Midsummer Eve picking flowers and making wreaths to place on the maypole. When this is done the maypole is raised in an open spot with folk music and many are dressed in national costumes and costumes specific for different counties. We, the strict Swedes, then dance around the pole singing old songs and just being silly for one day. You can also see many girls wearing wreaths in their hair and as for me and my daughter, we'll be doing the same.
Family and friends get together during Midsummer Eve to eat pickled herring, the first fresh potatoes for the season, sour cream, crisp bread and for drinks we serve snaps (Vodka). Fresh strawberries are also important as a dessert.

Thanks for participating in Penpalling & Letters, Sandra! I enjoyed very much reading about the celebrations of Midsummer in Sweden and your customs and traditions during these days! Whenever you feel like participating again you are welcome here!

If you are interested in reading more articles featuring characteristics of our homelands don't forget to check: Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background.

I am always looking for people who would like to take part in this section of the Blog: Travelling around the World. If you would like to write about any aspects of your homeland don't hesitate to contact me at: penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com and we will work on it!

"Moonstone Shop - The magic essence of creativity" & Giveaway

Welcome everybody to a new interview belonging to "The person behind the letter-writer". Penpalling & Letters today's guest is Laura! Laura will not only tell us about her handmade abilities or let us enter her magical world of handmade creations, but has prepared a heartful surprise to all the readers of Penpalling and Letters and "Moonstone Shop - The magic essence of creativity".

- Hello Laura! Welcome to Penpalling & Letters! Thanks for visiting us here and for taking part in The person behind the letter-writer! We are looking forward to get to know you, your penpalling experiences and hearing about your handcrafts! Would you like to present yourself?

Hello! My name is Laura and I am a 33 year-old Romanian woman. I am a professor of French Language and Literature in my every day life, a profession that I have had for ten years already. I am also a jewelry maker (which is the reason why I am here), activity that I have started more recently.
I am a magical spirit, I love art, books - I am interested in esotherism, magical arts, legends, mythology, folklore and traditions – I love theatre, good music, I adore mountains and forests (I live in Transilvania) and nature is my sanctuary. I am creative. Besides jewelry making I also love to make art-Decos, ATCs, all kind of collages and mixed media. I am faithful to alternative themes - magic, fantasy, dark and introspective, creative-twisted themes which can be interpreted freely, mythology and folklore, nature and seasonal, literature inspiration, emotions...
I started writing letters when I was fourteen years old, that means twenty years ago. Meanwhile, I substituted my penpalling activity with the mail-art activities (especially swapping art-Decos). I still have a few penfriends and I love them because they are very old friends. Currently, I am not making new penfriends because I could not possibly have the time to deal with so much mail. So, I am focused on swapping privately but also in an organized way, via Yahoo groups. The things that I swap depend on my partners, but they are mostly art-decos, deco-supplies, small gifts and other nice and creative things.

- Laura, could you tell us what do you create and where do you find your inspiration?

My jewelries are mostly touched by magical and nature inspiration. They are that kind of things that fairies and enchanted spirits wear. I also create amulets, runes and other magical suff, every time I have the proper energy for them.

- Which kind of materials do you use?

I love working with clay, as you can see in my most recent creations posted on my site, and I intend to keep on focusing on using clay in the future, too. I also use beautiful beads, pearls, semiprecious stones, gems, cristals, wood, fabric, lace, ribbons and metallic accessories.

- Do you build a pattern in your head before getting started or do you work on the item "improvising", just as inspiration comes?

No, I do not build patterns before starting a jewelry. But I always have inside my head a some kind of an intuition about what I want to do and... I just follow it!

- For how long have you been working into handmade jewelries by now, Laura?

For about two years now, althoug I opened my online shop only six months ago...

- How much time do you dedicate to each item until it is finished?

That depends on how much available time I have for this activity. Earrings are small and easier to make, but necklaces can be very tricky, especially when I make clay-pendants: the process takes time, the air dry clay that I am working with needs a proper time to dry several times (immediately after shaping it, then after painting it, after varnishing it...).

- Do you present your creations in an online website where it is possible to check them?

Yes, like I said, I have an online little personal shop – "Moonstone Shop" (I am very proud of it!) - where I upload some of my jewelries. Not all of them, because I also receive special orders: people that ask me to transform their idea about a jewelry into reality and, in this case, I do not upload the products in my shop considering that they are or will soon be sold anyway. "Moonstone Shop" is a place to sell some of my jewelries, not a portfolio.

- Which creations interest your customers the most?

The magical things are very much loved. I sold my runes and most of the amulets very soon after uploading them into my shop (I am now in the process to create new ones). Also, people seem to like vintage inspired jewelries. I am not into vintage very much, but I created and will keep on creating designs upon request and wishes of a customer, as long as I have proper supplies.

- Could you explain us how purchasing, payment and shipping work in Moonstone Shop?

It is quite easy for everyone, they do not need Paypal or a card. The customers have to send me an e-mail about what they want to buy from my Moonstone Shop and I will send them a confirmation e-mail with the sum of money that they have to send me (the price of the object(s) plus the shipping costs) and also the informations for the bank transfer. If they have a card, they can send the money directly, if not, all they have to do is to go to a bank in their own city/town and send the money from there. The bank transfer is not so complicated and it works for everybody. All these informations are on my site (see the tabs in the homepage) but, of course, I am here for any further explanations. If there is somebody who prefers to pay using dollars instead of euros, I can convert the price anytime. All they have to do is contacting me.

- Can we find "Moonstone Shop" in Facebook, Twitter... as well?

The main shop is located on Blogger, here: "Moonstone Shop". I can also be "liked" on Facebook, here: "Moonstone Shop" in Facebook.

As mentioned at the beginning of this post, Laura has a little surprise for everyone reading this interview and checking her cute shop, "Moonstone Shop": a giveaway, consisting of a complete set of jewelries, "Fairies Falls" (necklace, earrings and bracelet), created with mountain crystals, glass silvery beads, pendant with little stones, silvery chain and metallic accessories. A very delicate set, made for magical summer evenings.
Everybody who participates has a chance to win this set! Just go to Laura's Moonstone Shop's most recent post here: "Moonstone Shop" Giveaway and follow the "rules"! You also can see pics of this beautiful jewelry-set Laura offers in her Shop. The deadline to participate in this summer giveaway is July, 15th at midnight (Romania Time/GMT+3). The winner will be announced on July, 16th 2011.

Good luck everyone and hopefully you enjoyed meeting Laura!

Laura, many thanks for taking part in The person behind the letter-writer! It was a great pleasure to work together with you to present this interesting interview and contest to the readers! You know you are always welcome to Penpalling & Letters whenever you wish to be back!

If you would like to read more posts from "The person behind the letter-writer" section check the links you can find at: The person behind the letter-writer.

If you are interested in being featured in "The person behind the letter-writer" because you have a cute shop, you are crafty and would like to present your creations, you have an ability and would like to tell us about it... contact me at: penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com and we will work it out!

Sandbook Penpalling Magazine Issue 8

The eighth issue of the penpalling magazine edited and produced by Sandbook.Net Penpal and Swappers Site corresponding to the month of June is already online. As always, it is on digital format and you can download it as a PDF file at the Sandbook.net website: Sandbook Magazine - Issue 8. Have you never heard before about this penpalling magazine? Did you miss any of the previous issues? You still can download them at: Sandbook Magazine Archive.

If you are interested in taking part in future issues of the magazine or the booklet check how to do it in this link: "What to do to participate in Sandbook Magazine".

As in previous occasions, issue number 9 corresponding to the month of July will be online on the 11th July 2011 at: Sandbook.Net Penpal and Swappers Site. There will be a new Booklet coming out in the following days, too. Don't miss any of them! You will be able to read many interesting articles and news on penpalling and other different topics!

Hermes, the herald of gods

In Greek mythology, Hermes is the messenger of the gods and a guide for souls to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. He is an Olympian god and also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of thieves, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics and sports, of weights and measures, of invention, and of commerce in general. He is represented with winged sandals, covering his head with a winged hat and brandishing the caduceus (a golden stick). His symbols include the tortoise, the rooster, the lamb carried on his shoulders as well as the lyre and the flute.

In Roman mythology, Hermes was identified with the Roman god Mercury, who developed many similar characteristics, such as being the patron of commerce.

Hermes is a messenger from the gods to humans, delivering messages from the Olympus to the mortal world. When wearing his winged sandals he flies freely between the mortal and immortal world. In addition to the lyre and the flute, Hermes was believed to have invented many types of racing and the sports of wrestling and boxing, and therefore, was a patron of athletes.
Hermes serves as the guide for the dead to help them find their way to the Underworld. In many Greek myths, Hermes was depicted as the only god besides Hades, Persephone, Hecate and Thanatos who could enter and leave the Underworld without obstacles. Hermes often helped travelers having a safe and easy journey. Many Greeks would sacrifice to Hermes before any trip.

Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, a nymph, one of the seven Pleiades, daughter of Atlas and Pleione. In a cave, hidden from human eyes and particularly the jealous Hera, Zeus' wife, Maia gave birth to Hermes. Hermes was precocious. On his first day of life he crawled away to Thessaly and by nightfall he stole some of Apollo's immortal cattle and also invented the lyre. Hermes drove the cattle back to Greece and hid them, walking them backwards so that their tracks seemed to be going in the wrong direction. When Apollo accused Hermes, Maia refused to believe him as she thought Hermes was with her the whole night. However, Zeus entered the argument and said that Hermes did steal the cattle and it should be returned. While arguing with Apollo, Hermes began to play his lyre. The instrument enchanted Apollo and he agreed to let Hermes keep the cattle in exchange for the lyre.
Later on, Hermes, while taking care of the cattle, invented the flute. Apollo wanted to buy this new musical instrument and offered Hermes his golden stick as payment. Besides, Hermes asked for prediction lectures. Apollo acepted, and ever since, the golden stick, called "caduceus" became one of Hermes symbols. He also learnt how to predict the future by means of pebbles. Zeus, satisfied with the abilities of Hermes, named him his herald and messenger, as well as to serve the gods of the Underworld, Hades and Persephone.

The caduceus is the golden stick carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The stick was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short golden stick entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings. In Roman iconography it was often depicted being carried in the left hand of Mercury (Hermes). The legend says that Hermes saw two serpents entwined in mortal combat. Separating them with his wand, he brought peace between them, and as a result the wand with two serpents came to be seen as a sign of peace.
As a symbolic object it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by extension trades, occupations or undertakings associated with the god. In later Antiquity the caduceus provided the basis for the astrological symbol representing the planet Mercury. Thus, through its use in astrology and alchemy, it has come to denote the elemental metal of the same name. The caduceus is also a recognized symbol of commerce and negotiation.
The two entwined snakes of the caduceus represent number eight as well, and they are the equilibrium symbol between contrary forces. Besides, they represent the ethernal cosmic movement, base of regenaration and infinite.
The caduceus is sometimes mistakenly used as a symbol of medicine because of widespread confusion with the traditional medical symbol, the Rod of Asclepius, which has only a single snake and no wings.

Finally, here you can see a picture of a Greek mailbox, belonging to the Greek postal company ΕΛΤΑ. It was sent to me by my friend, Evi, who actually, inspired me to do this post about the Greek god of messengers and communication. She accompanied the picture together with this text to me: "The Greek mail service is ELTA (ΕΛΤΑ), which you see written on the mailbox. The face is supposed to be the face of Hermes one of the t Gods of Olympus according to our ancient mythology, who was a son of Zeus and Maya (one of Atlas's daughters). In that "godly society" Hermes used to have the role of the herald, he was the one who usually delivered the news to and from the mortal world. He was also the protector of travelers, thieves, gamblers and the trade. Moreover, he was the one who lead the way of the dead to the underworld. The most typical symbols of Hermes were the caduceus and the winged sandals, which enabled him to fly. I think Hermes is the most human-like godly figure of Greek mythology..." Thank you, Evi!

Corners of Warsaw

Hello from Polska! As you can guess, we are in Europe, in the east of this continent, in a country we already travelled to some months ago. Its coastline, in the north, is bathed by the Baltic Sea and, at the south, the Tatra Mountains are the natural border with some of its neighbouring countries. Have you already guessed where we are located today in this new travel around the world?

Hello Agnieszka and welcome to Penpalling & Letters! What a pleasure to have you here today, in Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background section! Would you like to share your penpalling experiences with us?

Hello everybody! As you already know my name is Agnieszka and I come from Warsaw, the capital of Poland, which is situated in the central area of my country and it is the biggest city, too.
I have been penpalling since I was fourteen. I met my first penpals during vacation. My Polish penpal and I have neighbouring summer houses by the lake, where we were spending each vacation and wanted to keep in touch during the year through letters. We are friends till today; she lives in Warsaw so we see each other sometimes and still go for vacation to our place. My first foreign penpals I met during summer language courses in England. I was corresponding with two Italian and one Spanish girls but, unfortunatelly, it did not last long. I had a break from penpalling since the Internet interrupted in it. I had never written to anyone who I haven't met personally until two years ago, when I found the "Interpals" website and met new wonderful penpals there! Even if I am not into "Postcrossing", I love getting postcards from my friends and I always send some, too, whenever I go somewhere or from my homecity, indeed. I guess that like everyone in "our small penpalling world" I like colourful stationery. Sometimes I paint the envelopes myself! I am not sure if I can say I collect stationery or stickers, because it is all to be used and I don't buy anything with the intention to keep it for myself. At the moment I am not looking for new penpals, but you can find me at my Blog:

As you already know, I come from Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Warsaw has over 1,700,000 inhabitants nowadays. Its symbol is the Mermaid. She is in the city's coat of arms: "Warsaw's Coat of Arms" and there are two monuments of the Mermaid in Warsaw, as well.
According to the legend, a Mermaid swimming in the sea stopped on the riverbank near to the Old Town to rest. She found the place so admirable that she decided to stay. Local fishermen living nearby noticed that something was creating waves, tangling nets, and releasing their fish. Although their original intention was to trap the offender, they fell in love with the Mermaid upon hearing her singing. Later, a rich merchant trapped the Mermaid and imprisoned her in a wooden hut. A young fisherman heard the Mermaid's cry and with the help of his mates released her, whereupon she declared her readiness to offer fishermen her help whenever it would be needed. Ever since, the Mermaid, armed with sword and shield, has been ready to help as well as protect the city and its residents.

I could write pages about Warsaw because it is a big city, which means that there are many things to see and it has a rich history, too. Therefore, I decided to choose a couple of most important things to show you this time!

The Old Town is the historic centre of the city, and it is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List. It was reconstructed after World War II, when it was totally destroyed. In the Old Town you can expect to see the Royal Castle, with a museum inside. In the middle of the square, in front of the Castle, there is Sigmunt's Column. On the top of it stands the King who moved the capital from Cracow to Warsaw. Walking through a narrow street you arrive to another square where one of the monuments of the Mermaid is. There are many cafes, "pierogarnias" (restaurants which specialize in making "pierogi" – our traditional and delicious meal) and a well-known confectionery. Rumours say it has the best ice-cream in the city. At least there is always a queue in front of it!

Łazienki Park is a 76 hectares park within the borders of Warsaw, with some historical monuments inside. One of them is the Palace on the Island, where the last King of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, an art lover, used to organize Thursday Dinners to which he invited poets, painters and famous erudites. There is also a monument of Chopin, where during summer weekends free concerts take place. Not to make this post dry with facts, let me mention that in the park live, unafraid of humans, squirrels, which, if you give them peanuts, will eat from your hand!

The Palace of Culture and Science is the highest building in Poland (230 m), located in the very centre of Warsaw. It was built in the 50s as a "gift of the Soviet people to the Polish nation" by Stalin's initiative. On the 30th floor there is a terrace from where you can view the panorama of Warsaw. In the Palace there is the Congress Hall, a place where artists from all over the world perform, there is a lovely small cinema where you can watch films from different corners of the world, and also, all kinds of cultural events: fairs, exhibitions, conferences... are organized in this space. Each winter, next to the palace, a skating-ring opens. Regarding the architecture of the building, the opinions are divided, but whether it is positive or negative, the Palace is one of the city symbols, together with the Mermaid and Sigmunt's Column.

Thanks for taking part in Penpalling & Letters, Agnieszka! It was very interesting to read and learn about these places in your homecity, Warsaw! Feel free to participate again whenever you feel like it!

If you are interested in reading more articles featuring characteristics of our homelands don't forget to check: Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background.

I am always looking for people who would like to take part into this section of the Blog: Travelling around the World. If you would like to write about your homeland don't hesitate to contact me at: penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com and we will work on it!

Sandbook Penpalling Magazine Issue 7

The seventh issue of the penpalling magazine edited and produced by Sandbook.Net Penpal and Swappers Site corresponding to the month of May is finally online. As always, it is on digital format and you can download it as a PDF file at the Sandbook.net website: Sandbook Magazine - Issue 7. Have you never heard before about this penpalling magazine? Did you miss any of the previous issues? You still can download them at: Sandbook Magazine Archive.

Together with the May issue, a new series of the Sandbook Booklets (Booklet 4) is online as well. If you are interested in getting it you can download it at the following link (it is on digital format as a PDF file, just like the magazines): Sandbook Booklet 4.

If you are interested in taking part in future issues of the magazine or the booklet check how to do it in this link: "What to do to participate in Sandbook Magazine".

As in previous occasions, issue number 8 will be online on the 11th June 2011 at: Sandbook.Net Penpal and Swappers Site. There will be a new Booklet coming out next month, too. Don't miss them! You will be able to read many interesting articles and news on penpalling and other different topics!

The Notebook (2004)

The Notebook is a 2004 romantic drama film starring Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands and James Garner. It was directed by Nick Cassavetes and based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The Notebook was inspired by the story of the grandparents of Sparks' wife, who had been married over sixty years when Sparks met them. Sparks marvelled at how much the couple cared for each other, and wrote his novel as an attempt to describe such a love.

The Notebook is an epic love story which tells about lost opportunities due to insurmountable obstacles, about second chances, discrimination due to social strata, the true love that endures through time and overcomes the difficulties, the victory of love over the disease, even for a moment, or arranged marriages of convenience.

The narration, both in past and present, is full of strength, charm and deep, sometimes contradictory, feelings. The story captives the viewer from the very first moment and keeps its delight until the end. The special chemistry between the main characters adds an enchanting touch besides showing freshness and naturalness around them.

The story starts on the summer of 1940 in Seabrook, South Carolina. Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) is an upper-class girl who is spending summer with her family in that coastal town. At the main festival, she meets Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling), a local boy who works at the lumber mill. Years later, an old gentleman reads the story of a couple written in a faded notebook to an old, sick lady...

- Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late.
- I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year.
- You wrote me?
- Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over.

[Information taken from The Notebook, The Internet Movie Database, Wikipedia]

Why does a letter touch our hearts?

Sandbook Penpalling Magazine Issue 6

The sixth issue of the penpalling magazine edited and produced by Sandbook.Net Penpal and Swappers Site corresponding to the month of April was delayed but is finally online. As always, it is on digital format and you can download it as a PDF file at the Sandbook.net website: Sandbook Magazine - Issue 6. Have you never heard before about this penpalling magazine? Did you miss any of the previous issues? You still can download them at: Sandbook Magazine Archive.

Together with the April issue, a new series of the Sandbook Booklets (Booklet 3) is online as well. If you are interested in getting it you can download it at the following link (it is on digital format as a PDF file, just like the magazines): Sandbook Booklet 3.

If you are interested in taking part in future issues of the magazine or the booklet check how to do it in this link: "What to do to participate in Sandbook Magazine".

As in previous occasions, issue number 7 will be online around the 11th May 2011 at: Sandbook.Net Penpal and Swappers Site. There will be a new Booklet coming out at the end of May, 2011 as well. Don't miss them! You will be able to read many interesting articles and news on penpalling and other different topics!