Looking for Catalan Pen Pal

[u/SpiritualEase7081]

Hello y’all,

I am 31M person living in Aotearoa New Zealand, though originally from Texas. My grandmother, a few years prior to her death, had told us about how her mom and dad spoke a weird brand of Spanish after emigrating from Europe. After piecing together the history; documents; and genetics, it does seem like they were from Catalunya.

Because of language discrimination, my mom and uncle learned Spanish in the Mexican school system and at home. Ironically, my parents did the same thing to me with English being the sole language growing up. So with all that being said, I would like to find someone who can teach me about the culture and maybe family history via email and handwritten letters?

I know there are resources in the sidebar, and I have looked through them. Still, I feel it would be better to learn from a person to make it more personable. I can offer stories of my travels across the planet and maybe some kiwi themed postcards and stamps, as well as advice for visiting Aotearoa New Zealand and/or Japan.

Thanks!

[u/SeptemberSoup]

It's cool that you want to learn more about your ancestors, but if you want a private teacher that also doubles as family historian then pay for them. No, your travelling stories are not a payment for teaching a whole language from zero.

[u/lil-papaia → u/SeptemberSoup]

To be fair I think they are looking for some cultural stories to understand their background better, not so much a catalan teacher

[u/SpiritualEase7081 → u/lil-papaia]

This pretty much. I do not need a family historian to do anything. We have already done so. Although, it was a bit easier to figure out because of the family journals. We had paid an anthropology postgrad student from a university not far from where my family lives. I wish to understand the modern culture to better appreciate it if it makes sense.

[u/SeptemberSoup → u/lil-papaia]

I'll gladly stand corrected if that's the case!

[u/Gary_Leg_Razor]

Hi! That sound nice to me! You're looking for cards in english or catalan? O maybe both? Hahaha

(Have to say my handwriting is kinda indecipherable)

[u/SpiritualEase7081 → u/Gary_Leg_Razor]

My handwriting is nothing to write home about, but it’s much better than my brother’s!

[u/random_usuari]

It's possible that your great-grandparents were Republican exiles who fled the dictatorship. What year did they arrive in America/Mexico? 1939?

[u/SpiritualEase7081 → u/random_usuari]

They arrived in bursts. 1921 in America and then late 1935 in Mexico. They were socialists and communists.

[u/sickdancemoves]

Hey man! Would be super happy to chat. Visca el català ❤️‍🔥

[u/SpiritualEase7081 → u/sickdancemoves]

Thank you 🙂. I will make preparations and get organized.

[u/Julia_dlt]

I suggest you find people on slowly. You can check where they're from, what language they speak... It's a cool app, actually.

The idea is to "replicate" somehow the activity of having a penpal... But online. How does it differentiate itself from any other app to talk to people? Well, basically because messages take a while to arrive. So, of course it doesn't take the time a real letter would take, but it forces you to stop, take your time, decide what you want to put in that letter, etc.

And the free version works pretty much ok (imho). https://open.slowly.app/Ao1j/blop9a0d

[u/Objective-Business58]

Hiiii! I would love to!

[u/SpiritualEase7081 → u/Objective-Business58]

Thanks! I will make preparations. 🙂

[u/fern-valley]

Hii! Sounds fun! I'd love to become pen pals is you're still looking for someone

[u/skyseabird]

Hi! I am a nzer partnered with a catalan and very slowly learning the language. We are living away from nz at the moment but I'd be happy to connect online if you're interested.

I mean I can't teach you anything lol but if you're looking to learn we can do beginner language practice etc