As you communicate with your penpal, you will inevitably start sharing more about yourself. Developing a friendship is a game of give and take where you each reveal more personal information as time goes on. Try to progress your communication naturally like you would in any friendship. Start off by talking about the basics such as your profession and interests, then start to divulge difficult emotions, hardships, and insecurities as you and your penpal can begin to know each other on a deeper level. However, only reveal more about yourself if you feel absolutely comfortable with the individual you're communicating with. Penpals offer up a wonderful opportunity to make friends across the world, but it also puts you in a vulnerable place. Be careful when giving out personal information, even simple things such as your Skype, email, MSN, phone number, etc. Wait some time before giving out or asking for other information. Build up trust over time. Be wary of displaying your email address on your profile as spammers can use it to send unwanted emails. Always use your judgement when sharing personal details with your penpal, making sure you trust this person before revealing anything too intimate. Keeping in contact with a penpal seems like something that should be painless, but it's easy to slip up in your communication. Developing a lasting friendship with your penpal is like maintaining any other friendship - it requires time and dedication. You must make the effort to regularly correspond with your penpal, otherwise your friendship could slip away. Create a routine. Whether it's once a week or once a month, carve out an hour in your schedule to sit down and write a thoughtful letter to your penpal. If your penpal starts to correspond less, consider sending a follow-up letter to make sure they are okay. Think about keeping in touch through social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram in order to strengthen your relationship. Social media can be a great way to maintain regular contact with your penpal and learn more about their lives. Consider meeting in person or at some point in the future. This option may not be available if you don't have the financial means to travel a great distance, but if the relationship with your penpal is strong then an in-person meeting is the perfect way to take your friendship to the next level. Developing an enriching penpal friendship takes even longer than normal friendships considering how long it can take snail mail to travel around the world. Realize that you should be ready to at least correspond for a few years in order to truly get to know your penpal. Slowly understanding the ins and outs of someone else can be a rewarding experience that only becomes richer with time. If you make the effort to keep a consistent correspondence and allow time to know your penpal, then a distant stranger could become a lifelong friend.
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One-sentence summary -- Keep the conversation alive. Stay safe. Make time for your penpal. Be patient.

Maltese do like company and can bark or suffer anxiety related problems if they are left alone for long periods of time. Think about whether you can structure your day so that the Maltese is not left alone for more than 4 hours at a time. Be aware that because Maltese like to be with people, they can easily become over-dependant on human company and suffer from stress or "separation anxiety" unless trained from a young age to cope in solitude. To train the dog to do this means deliberately spending small periods of time away from the dog so that it learns to be alone. Be careful not to over pamper the dog as this can make it even more difficult for it when you're not there to fuss it. Most Maltese are friendly, outgoing, and relatively fearless but because they are small (4-7 lbs) and have delicate bones, they are easily injured. As a result, they can become fearful or aggressive. Keep an eye on them around larger animals, and show children how to hold the Maltese properly without squeezing or dropping him. If you have very young children, you might want to consider a sturdier breed like a Shih Tzu, Havanese, or Bichon. Be aware that the Maltese feel the cold easily. If your home is chilly or you live in a cold environment, then reconsider your choice of dog. Also be aware they have long silky coats, which needs daily grooming and will need to have their hair trimmed regularly because Maltese do not shed like most other breeds. Although this is an added expense (unless you learn to do it yourself), the upside is that the Maltese (like the Poodle) is a relatively hypoallergenic breed. If you can't commit to such a long term undertaking, or you expect your circumstances to change, then reconsider getting a dog , especially one that can live to be 14 or 15. Adopting a dog is a long-term commitment, not something to take lightly. There are thousands of Maltese breeders out there, but there are also plenty of purebreds in animal shelters. If you know someone with a Maltese ask where that person got it. Make sure that before you bring your Maltese home, that it gets along with other pets or children you may have. Make sure you see the Maltese puppy with his mother. If for whatever reason the mother is not present, walk away. This is a give away sign that the puppy is from a puppy mill and such immoral breeding programs should not be encouraged. Make sure your Maltese was socialized well as a puppy, as this helps make it become a confident outgoing adult.
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One-sentence summary -- Determine whether the Maltese personality is right for you and your lifestyle. Gauge whether you can care for a Maltese properly. Prepare to have a dog that lives well into its teens. Pick your specific Maltese wisely.

Exhale and bend smoothly from your hips, allowing your back to relax. Take a couple of deep breaths.
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One-sentence summary --
Fall forward gently and touch your toes to stretch out.