Many people have a pen pal for a few weeks or a year before they grow tired of the constant back and forth of letter writing.But for long-time pen pals Andrea Robinson and Canadian Debby Kopach their friendship has lasted the test of time.The two women have been writing to each other for the past 45 years, been able to meet face-to-face a handful of times and even share in life’s milestones and journeys together.Mrs Robinson said: “I think I’m a better person having met her because it’s a long sustaining relationship, 45 years. When I thought about it I said ‘Gee, that is a long time’. It was almost like having a long-distance sister.”The pals met in 1966 when their teachers started a letter writing exchange among their students.Mrs Kopach said: “I was in grade three at school, probably around eight years old, and my teacher travelled to Bermuda on a vacation and met another teacher in Bermuda.“Together they decided it would be great writing practice for their students to exchange names and write back and forth. We drew names in the classroom and I got Andrea. Once I started writing to her, I couldn’t stop.”What started as bimonthly letters about typical things like families, friends and hobbies soon blossomed into something more meaningful.Mrs Kopach said she began to see Mrs Robinson as a confidant. “I felt I knew her and her family and friends. It was interesting to think of somebody living so far away in such an exotic place because when you are that young [Bermuda] seemed like a dream place.“Having a pen pal meant you could write your feelings and life in words to somebody and nobody else would be reading it except her, which actually brought out more feelings and thoughts.“I am from a big family with five brothers and two sisters, so it became my own private thing.”In the ‘olden days’ they would write letters, put a stamp on them and put them in the mail. As soon as one letter would arrive the girls would write and send another out right away.But today they use e-mail and telephone to catch up on each other’s day-to-day lives. They have also met each other a handful of times, with Mrs Kopach making her sole visit to Bermuda in 1972.“I’ll never forget the first time we met because I was a little nervous, especially travelling for my first trip in a plane, but immediately we hugged, laughed and felt so comfortable together,” recalled Mrs Kopach.Mrs Robinson also makes occasional trips to Canada and meets up with her pen pal in Toronto.The duo’s bond has become so strong Mrs Kopach asked Mrs Robinson to stand in as godmother for her eldest son Alex. She said she knew “without a doubt” she wanted Mrs Robinson to be in her child’s life and be a part of the christening.Mrs Robinson believes the two have been able to remain friends because of their similar personalities.“I have had other pen pals in between but they fell off they just stopped writing but Debby and I just hit it off,” said Mrs Robinson.“We were both born in January. Her birthday is the 18th and I am the 30th and I guess we were just the same type of person, we both like to write and enjoyed getting to know each other.”Mrs Kopach, who resides in Waterford, Ontario, said no matter how much time has lapsed since last seeing each other the two always pick up where they left off. “We talk and laugh just like it was yesterday,” she added.“I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about how long we would keep in touch because [she] feels like family to me that no matter what, I’ll always be ready to chat and I believe she feels the same way.”