Dear USMC,
Hi! My name is Ivy ____! I'm in the 4th Grade! I go to ____ ______ ________ Elementary School. I was born in North Carolina, but my homeland is Taiwan because my whole famiy and ancestors were born in Taiwan except for me and my sister, Evelyn. How is it in Baghdad? Have you had to use your gun yet? Is it hard in the army? Why is there so many wars? Why does a lot of continents, states, countries, counties, and cities have to be enemies. I send you, all my wishes and hopes and I'm gonna send you something special too! I'm gonna send you two words in Chinese! They are:
平安
PEACE
Your Friend,
Ivy ____
P.S. Go! Marines! Go!
Dear Marine,
Hello, how are you? I hope you are fine. How long have you been in Baghdad? Do you miss your family? I would have, if I was at war. How many times do you go outside, to fight? How did you get through the sandstorm? These were some question that I wanted to know. I hope you answer them.
I am scared of this war. Maybe we could make peace. But, maybe they won't do wars then. I am from Charlotte, NC. Which state are you're from? Here in North Carolina is okay. But I hope you might I've got my card that I sent.
Well I hope you will be safe.
Your friend,
Elizabeth
This is all sic. When we were in Kuwait, on our way back home, our command handed these letters out and told us we had to respond to at least one. Most of us treated this as a chore, but I think many of us were secretly happy to comply. I responded to three (I'd post my responses, but I didn't make copies when I sent them, about a year ago). I'm keeping the third one to myself.
I doubt I was this articulate, or lucid, even, when I was in the fourth grade.