The stranger I am meeting today is Kirill. He is 38 and from Russia. At the age of twelve, he decided to become a professional pianist. Two days after the Russian president announced mobilization, Kirill decided to leave his country.

We talk about music, war propaganda, and what it means to leave the country you love. It has been very much a lesson in listening for me, which I believe is the first step to get to know one another better.