how many of you did NOT know your pal at all before you started writing to them, and have gone to their prison to meet them?

Was it what you expected?
Did/Do they seem the same in person as in their letters?

I did not know my favorite pal prior to prison and I made the trip to see him 9 times now, it was great. He is very similar in his letters as in person, so yes, pretty much what I expected. The only shocks came from the prison atmosphere, not him.

that's awesome to hear Missy - have you any other pals? and if so, have you ever visited any of them? or have you plans to do so?

I didn't know my pal before visiting him. When I met him in person it was much better than I thought it would be. I was attracted to him because he looks good in his photos, but he's fine. He's so funny and he had me laughing out loud. We write about any and everything and talk on the phone just as easily. It was so nice that we felt comfortable with one another. It's great to be face to face. He is amazing!

I have 13 pals all together and on visiting lists for 4 of them, I plan to see the other 3 next summer after baby is born and we go on vacation. One of my pals is only 1 hour and 45 minutes from my vacation spot I also plan to meet one when he is released in 07, i cant visit him cause he is in the same state as someone else I am on the list for and cant visit 2 inmates in the same state So hopefully, if all goes well by the end of 07, I will have met 5 of my pals

I met my pal on this site and I went to visit him after writing him for 6 months. At first I was very nervous waiting there for him to come out but as soon as he did the spark was there!!! I have been going every weekend ever since and each visit is more special then the last. He is definitely the same person face to face as in his letters though more affectionate face to face. HA HA We have come a long way and I am so very glad that I decided to take the chance and go visit.

Didn't know my Pal before I started to write her.

A yeare and a half later we travelled 5000 miles to visit her.

And we will do it again next spring.

Tom

I have 7,,,made it my business to see all of them by the end of the summer,,which I did except one,,who I am working on after being denied. They were all so much more better looking than the photos, which they say the same to me so maybe it was just being face to face that really brought life to all those months of writing and pouring hearts out to one another about this or that.
Out of all of it,,I was able to narrow it down to my "special" one.
Different things transpired with all of them. One is getting deported in about 10 days,,,kinda nervous about that because I know deportation does not mean a thing and I keep getting this vision of him appearing on my door step. One found him a wifey and wants to marry her, plus he gets conjugal and he wants kids. One just dropped off,,,dunno whats up with him but I refused to take any more collect calls and told him to pick up that pen and he has yet to do so. One is about to make bail and get a new trial, so his mind is on getting out of his mess an dealing with his five kids. One paroles out in December and is moving in with a chick he met on the net from Boston.
So that leaves my Special Dude who is still in the HOLE!

i did not know my pal before he went to prison and i am thankful for that as we may have never been friends.loves the new and improved version.so we met at the prison and he is incredible we hit it off right from the start you would think he and i knew each other for years on the first visit.

I did not know any of my friends before writing. I have only met the one in person, but if i was real honest there was a man i exchanged a few letters with (long story). He was never my pen pal though, so has not seen what i look like. Although in his first thankyou letter to me sent a few photo's of himself, so i know what he looks like. (My friend knew about this man)
Well when i went to see my friend this man was in the visiting room with his parents, i wanted to go up and say g'day, but didn't. Then i decided i would after thinking about it a little more. When i came back from the Chapel this man had finished his visit early and was gone. It still bothers me i just didn't do it, but my belief is things happen for a reason.
You know how the visit went with my good friend and teacher, it was soooo good and so much more than i thought it would be. I can honestly say thanks to the guards and prison workers my time was made a lot better which i was not expecting at all.
My dear friend is the same in the flesh as his letters, but that could never of prepared me for what we both felt meeting for the first time, we talked and interacted as if we have always been.(smiles)
My other friend on Death Row i am truly hoping i get a chance to meet him in early 2008, but he has had his date set and i am hopeful of our meeting, where as he is more realistic in thoughts. What either way i will return to the States in 2008 with my family this time, if not before hand.
Other new found friend, it is in the early stages of getting to know one another, so who knows where that will take us.