Is it safe to get a pen pal?

[Hecate]

I really want to get a pen pal, but I've been told it isn't 'safe' etc etc. The thing is, I want a friend, preferably from another country. I don't have a Facebook account, or any other forms of social media (because I'm not that interested in them). So my questions are:
Is it safe to get a pen pal?
What are some websites I can use for this purpose?
Thanks for all your help in advance, it's really appreciated.
Oh, this is my first question here, and I'm really nervous about the response I'm gonna get. Please don't be mean, not saying that everyone is bad, a lot of you are really nice people, it's just that I'm paranoid. =.= Thanks again!
To ya dig: Thank you for your answer, but I want a girl first. Thanks, though.
Thanks to Ron Miles and Josh Smith for your answers! I don't want anyone from Omegle, because of certain restrictions. Plus, I don't know how it works. Heck, I don't even know how Yahoo! works. Not exactly tech savvy for my age...
Thanks again!
**I'd prefer girls from ages 14-15. It would be best if I can get a pen pal website (so I can state more of my preferences) and I'll take it from there. Thank you!