When the flight attendant announced that it was time to fasten our seatbelts, I couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. “I guess I’m venturing into the unknown,” I said, half to David and half to myself. It felt like I was shedding an old skin.

As we flew over the Atlantic, the hours seemed to melt away. David and I discussed everything from politics to our favorite books, and at one point, he even managed to make me laugh until tears welled up in my eyes. For someone I had just met, his presence felt like an old friend.When the plane finally touched down in Germany, I felt a surge of exhilaration. The air was crisp and cold as we stepped off the plane, a perfect contrast to the warmth of the airport. We waved goodbye at customs, promising to keep in touch, and with his parting words, David said something that stayed with me.