I could never imagine I would form such a strong bond with someone who lives so far away. Even though we’re almost 4 thousand kilometers apart, my penpal and friend Lyssa is a significant part of my life. We share our ups and downs, support each other and, of course, constantly learn something new about a different culture. These experiences made me talk continiously about Ireland with my friends to the point I got annoying and turned Lyssa into #1 fan of pelmeni and medovik.
I still can’t really process the fact that we are so alike. We both adore creative writing, musicals, cats and learning languages, our thoughts and opinions are sometimes even oddly similar. I can’t call Lyssa anything but a soulmate.
This all happened thanks to Slowly. One July afternoon at summer camp I checked my notifications and saw an incoming letter. I loved the chaotic energy of the introduction, because it’s hard to keep it structured for me too. How are you even supposed to sum up your entire life in a dozen of sentences? I hastily wrote a reply and the rest was history.
What I love the most about Slowly is the communication format it offers. Simply put, you can’t write a complex and interesting letter if you don’t care about the person on the other side of the screen. In the age of social media, forming meaningful and sincere connections is incredibly valuable.
Dear Slowly team, thank you for making our story possible. It’s been 4 years since I’ve met Lyssa and I hope to stay her friend for years to come.
