Amy | ana-levisky

One day I checked my 'Other' inbox on Facebook and there it was, Amy's message. She had just moved to Ireland to be an au pair and wanted to meet new people. So she created this fake profile only to send messages around, in the hope that somebody might write back. I'm one of the most paranoid people I know, but for some reason I could tell the message was sincere and that the eighteen year old behind it was real. We met up in a café and I couldn't have been more glad for trusting my instincts.		Before moving back to Italy, Amy invited me to visit Belfast. We hopped on a bus from Dublin and crossed the border as if going into a new country wasn't that big of a deal (pre-Brexit times). We didn't have a map or a specific goal, but what could be more exciting than stepping onto the streets of a place you've never been before and wandering around? The hours spent on the bus over and back were longer than the time spent in the city, but that made the whole experience even more dreamlike.	There is nothing wrong in reaching out when you feel lonely and in fact people will respond in some way or another when the time comes. I was never more spontaneous than when I was with Amy and her enthusiasm for art and adventure really rubbed off on me.

HOW WE MET