Meeting a Pen Pal in Real Life

Maybe if you follow me or Puk on Instagram you saw that a meeting between two pen pals was taking place! Maybe you didn't?
Well, Puk and I have been pen pals for about 8 months, and we get along pretty well (on paper that is), we had never met in real life before last week.
I can't recall how we came upon a meeting, but I was truly, really, nervous. I never went on any blind dates but I imagine this is sort of how you rationalize the meeting: total acceptance and chemistry, vs. total rejection and uncomfortableness. Sweaty palms and a billion butterflies in the stomach. Do correct me if I'm wrong.
On top of it, one of my other pen pals knew about this meeting and wrote back to me saying; "I value my pen palships way too much to take a risk like that, maybe you like her and maybe you don't, and if you don't, you loose your pen pal."
So to make me even more nervous, she was staying at my house for 5 days.

Crossing the boundaries from the written word to the spoken one was a bit tough. I'm usually not very good at first time meetings, usually I come across as a bit rude, and I'm the type of person you don't like immediately (I've been told this several times).
Thankfully it all went smoothly. We got along in real life too. Pheewww!!! We happen to have a great thing in common; CRAFTS. So we went out looking for the stores (yes, we bought more washi-tape), we crafted in the house, we talked about crafts, we looked at books about crafts, I showed her my crafts and journals and she even taught me some new crochet patterns.

So yes, it is a risk you take (a big one) and I don't recommend this for the faint of heart. Many might think that you can write to anyone, but I disagree completely. You also need to click on paper. It is a bit hard to explain, but when you receive a letter from someone you know if it will be  lasting relationship or not. Writing letters takes time, just like real life friendships. They are not sustained because you have a person on the other side. Like all relationships, you need to work at them to make them work. Sounds silly, but it is the truth. Pen palships are no different.
So be nice and tell me,  were you ever in this situation? Did you ever meet any of your pen pals in real life?? How was it??

There must be millions of people all over the world who never get any love letters... I could be their leader.  - Charlie Brown

And none will hear the postman's  knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
- W. H. Auden

Have a wonderful day.
Giova.