Letters From Around The World
Yours TrulyEloise
A literary world of handwritten letters, journal chapters, and soft storytelling.
About The Author
Shay Derushe
Curator of Yours Truly Eloise
A literary genius. A diary author. A mother. A dreamer.
Yours Truly Eloise started out as my diary entries. No, literally — that was it. Growing up in a rural community in Jamaica, I often found myself wondering what other parts of the world looked like. We did not go out much unless it was for church events, and even then, it still felt like I was living in a small bubble.
One day, while randomly reading a newspaper, I came across a penpal section. I asked my dad to help me write and post my very first letter. A few weeks later, I received a response from a child in Singapore. That exchange continued back and forth for years, and it completely changed my life. It ignited my love for writing, storytelling, culture, and travel.
I did not have many friends growing up, so I told most of my stories to my diary — Eloise. As a diarist, storyteller, mother, and lifelong lover of literature, I have always wanted to give my own child that same experience through writing, imagination, travel, and meaningful connection. Now, through Yours Truly Eloise, I am passing this experience on to children around the world.
In a world that moves so quickly online, I wanted to create something softer. Something slower. Something meaningful. A child somewhere across the world is excited to learn what your side of the world looks like through your eyes — and cannot wait to share theirs with you 💌🌍
Thank you for being a part of this story.
Letters · The Penpal Exchange
The Mailing Club
A children's penpal exchange connecting young minds across the globe through the joy of real, handwritten letters. No screens. Just mail.
Ages 6 – 15
Penpal Exchange
£12.99 per month · cancel anytime
A thoughtfully curated snail-mail exchange designed to encourage literacy, cultural education, and global friendship — completely free from digital interference.
🌍 Please note: This is a genuine exchange between children. The main purpose is a cultural experience and global connection — not a one-way service. Children are encouraged to write back and share their own world with their penpal.
Secure subscription via PayPal · cancel anytime
Each Month
What's In The Pack
While each mail pack will differ by country and penpal, here are some of the things your child can expect to receive:
Handwritten & typed letters
Personal letters written by your child's penpal, sharing their life, thoughts, and world.
Country fact sheets
Fun and educational facts about your penpal's country — history, food, culture, landmarks.
Postcards with real stamps
Authentic postcards from the penpal's country, stamped and ready to keep as a keepsake.
Trinkets & souvenirs
Small cultural tokens from your penpal's country — something to hold and remember.
Collectible currency
Coins or notes from the penpal's country — of little to no monetary value, purely for collecting and learning.
Art or DIY craft
Artwork created by the penpal, or a small craft activity inspired by their culture.
Birthday Club 🎂
Extra Special on Birthdays
When you subscribe, you can share your child's birthday month with us. In their birthday month, we will strive to make their mail pack extra special — a little something more to celebrate them across the miles. Because every child deserves to feel seen, even by a friend they've never met.
Subscribe
Sign up by the 25th of each month. Subscriptions received after the 25th will begin the following month.
We Post
Mail packs ship on the 1st of each month. You'll receive an email once all packs have left our warehouse.
You Receive
Your child opens their pack and reads their letter! Their penpal's reply address is included.
From Our Families
Letters From Parents
Parents who had penpals growing up — sharing the joy of giving their children the same gift.
"I had a penpal when I was about nine — her name was Brigitte and she lived in Lyon. I still remember the excitement of running to the letterbox every morning. When I found the Penpal Exchange, I actually cried. My daughter Isla now has that same look on her face at the start of every month. It's the most precious thing I've ever given her."
"I had a penpal in Japan growing up and it genuinely shaped how I see the world. Both my boys are now part of the exchange and the dinner table conversations we have after reading their letters are something I'll treasure forever. Tobias has started writing back in Japanese. He taught himself. This programme is extraordinary."
"Growing up in Ghana I had a penpal in the UK and it felt like magic. Now my daughter Amara is the one receiving letters from across the world. She keeps every single one in a shoebox under her bed. The cultural details in each pack — the stickers, the little notes, the stamps — show so much love and care. We are beyond grateful."
"Eva had been asking me what it felt like to get a proper letter in the post — because she'd never had one. Now she's had five. She reads them out loud at breakfast and has started writing her own letters in her best handwriting. Watching her discover this joy is everything."
From The Desk
The Journal
May 2026
Welcome to Yours Truly Eloise
This is the beginning of something I've been dreaming of for years. A space where letters live, stories breathe, and readers feel like they've received something truly personal in the post…
Read →Share The Joy
The Mailpack Wall
Received a pack? Share a snapshot of your little one opening their letter — a postcard from one family to the next.
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Get In Touch
Write To Us
Questions about a subscription, your mail pack, or anything else? Reach out — we'd love to hear from you.