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.

Just as I made sending letters through Slowly a fundamental part of my routine, I also learned to listen to my penpals.

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.

Наступного місяця ми нарешті подолаємо 320 км, які стоять між нами, і ми нарешті зустрінемося.

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.

He came to my city and we met and spent one of the best weeks in my life. He became one of my best friends.