After months of talking to Irina on that app to meet people from other countries, you finally worked up the courage and bought a ticket to Russia. The flight was long, the cold as you stepped off the plane hit you immediately, and yet all you could think was, "In a few hours I'll really see her."

You carried a simple gift in your backpack, a gesture you had discussed during one of those late-night conversations that lasted until sleep overcame you. The walk to the subway seemed endless; each announced station was a step closer to her.

When you finally got out and saw her waiting for you—the wool hat, the red scarf, the nervous smile—you felt like the world stopped for a moment. It was no longer a photo on the screen or a voice behind headphones: it was Irina, looking you straight in the eyes.

You didn't say anything at first; you just laughed, and so did she. And even though the words didn't come out, you understood that the difficult part was behind you: you were already there.