Like many other users of Slowly, I'm sure, I have always longed to make deeper connections with people.

It was about assimilating events and the consequent transformations in my life.

He’s halfway across the world and I feel closer to him than most people.

It was so fascinating to hear about the differences between the culture and structure of our lives.

Net zoals ik het versturen van brieven via Slowly tot een fundamenteel onderdeel van mijn routine werd, leerde ik ook naar mijn penvrienden te luisteren.

Why would I want to do that, when I have instant messaging? When there are much faster, quicker ways to contact people than wait hours?

I received a letter, from Syria, not knowing then how much it would change my life the following year.

I am proud to say that my Mandarin has definitely improved, and I have been able to talk with teenagers from Senegal to Switzerland and Hong Kong.

Next month, we’ll finally overcome the 320 km that separate us and meet in person.

Remembering a song by, maybe, the biggest singer from Argentina, José Larralde, he said: "I’ve been through all the world, in the same place..."

And since that, we never contacted each other because he doesn't want to give me a false hope.

Hij kwam naar mijn thuisstad, waar we samen één van de beste weken van m'n leven doorbrachten. Hij werd meteen m'n beste vriend!