I have been on the Internet for about 7 years and the very first chat program I ever used was ICQ. It is a free download from https://icq.com or from https://tucows.com (under Chat messengers)
You can fill in as little or as much information about yourself as you want so when other people are searching for some one new to talk to they can go through your information.
You can instant message with just one person or several at a time or you can go into a chat box and have a regular long chat with one or more than one.
They have a random listing you can list yourself on so that new people may contact you of similar interests.
You can send voice messages back and forth which is really nice to actually hear the person talk.
You can also send a greeting card right from the site to the person you are talking to while talking to them.
You can set it up to receive your e-mail through ICQ also.
There are so many features you should check it out. It is a great way to meet people from all walks of life and all over the world and it is free so why not check it out today?