It will be an introduction that has been decades in the making.
For over 57 years, Wendy Simon has been in contact with her pen pal Wendy from Australia.
“We were both in grade school five, maybe around 10 years old, and in our respective schools we were both asked if we would be interested in a pen pal, and unbeknownst to each other, we both said yes. She said she’d like one in Canada, and I wanted one in Australia,” said Simon.
Simon will finally get to meet Wendy in person when she arrives in Saint John on June 2.
“She’s travelling with a friend who is visiting family in Toronto, and she figured since she’s this close why not, so she’s making a little side trip and come here, and we’re finally going to meet.”
The in-person introduction could not be more exciting for Simon.
“I’m beside myself, I mean we’ve sent pictures back and forth, but it’s not the same thing because we are going to meet in flesh and blood now.”
Simon still remembers that first letter she sent to Wendy.
“I remember distinctly my first letter to her I asked, ‘do you have kangaroos in your backyard?’ and the first picture she sent me was her holding a baby kangaroo.”
Throughout the years of writing back and forth, Simon mentioned the pen never seemed to budge off the paper.
“We would be writing back and forth, and it wouldn’t be unusual for me to write her 17 pages both sides of looseleaf, and then once I got a computer we started with the emails, and I remember on my 40th birthday she phoned me.”
“So, we’ve spoken once, but other than that it’s just been email since,” continued Simon.
Simon added they do not have a set plan when Wendy arrives in Saint John, however, they will just “wing it.”
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