HER GRANDMOTHER JOINED OUR FIRST VIDEO CALL — AND I DIDN’T MIND

I was nervous enough as it was. Preparing for a first video call with someone you’re genuinely interested in is a modern form of stage fright. I had spent an hour making sure my apartment was clean, that the lighting was decent, and that I didn’t have any food in my teeth. I was ready for my one-on-one chat with Yulia, a woman from Ukraine I’