1998: When I was about 9, there was a new girl in class who just came back from the US. Her family had lived there for a couple of years. So she began to tell me stories of a world outside my country, which I had presumed only existed in television.
Since then I became obsessed. I read more books, watched more TV, practically doubled up my own workload in English class, and dreamed about all those exciting places on the other side of the world.
Then I joined penfriend clubs on the internet and met hundreds of girls from all over the planet. Only a few of them stuck around longer than the rest. One remains in touch even after more than 12 years.
I still keep some of their letters.
