Hand-Written Letters

I once read a book about two young girls who were pen pals, they became the best of friends even though their relationship remained in the words they wrote to each other over a few years before they eventually met.  So of course after reading this particular story that now I cannot remember the name of, I wanted so bad to have this sort of relationship with someone, someone far, far away from me. Now in the era of social media, text-messaging and email, I'm curious to know if anyone still communicates through hand written letters across states or countries. Is this a lost art, the art of writing an unknown individual a hand-written letter, are kids encouraged to practice this anymore?! 

(image via we heart it)