[Sheila53]

I remember reading that some of you met your partners/spouses via the internet, and maybe some of you know people who've met via the internet. I'm just wondering how that works. If you're living in another part of the country or even another country from the other person, how did you meet? How do you determine if the other person is for real? How much face-to-face time did you spend with each other before deciding to get together?

I have a family member who has started a relationship with someone from England a couple of months ago, and I'm kind of concerned. The person from England is already talking marriage and looking into getting a work visa to come here. It seems awfully fast to me, especially since they haven't spent any time together--just e-mails and phone calls. Can you really fall in love with someone you've never met?

[mousie]

Originally Posted by Sheila53

I remember reading that some of you met your partners/spouses via the internet, and maybe some of you know people who've met via the internet. I'm just wondering how that works. If you're living in another part of the country or even another country from the other person, how did you meet? How do you determine if the other person is for real? How much face-to-face time did you spend with each other before deciding to get together?

I have a family member who has started a relationship with someone from England a couple of months ago, and I'm kind of concerned. The person from England is already talking marriage and looking into getting a work visa to come here. It seems awfully fast to me, especially since they haven't spent any time together--just e-mails and phone calls. Can you really fall in love with someone you've never met?

When I went to school for the first time, the internet as we know it now didn't exist. This was in '93, before the WWW, before chat rooms, before pictures on your screens, when 2400-baud was a fast modem. My best friend was in San Diego; I was in Indiana. My first months' phone bill was $280 and my parents flipped. We had to find another way to communicate. We were sitting in our respective computer labs one day, emailing back and forth, when someone in her lab suggested we log on to NannyMUD. This was an online text-based "fantasy game" that people from around the world could all log on to at once and play at the same time. We could log on at the same time and talk to each other--and anyone else who happened to be on. Our lives on Nanny had begun.

Soon after, we started talking to other people who were logged on. Through Nanny interactions I've met my bridesmaid, I've been maid of honor, I've been to Sweden, Scotland, and England, and I've made a dozen friends (mostly in Minnesota, honestly). I've also met my husband (who is English--I'm American), and we've been married now for 4.5 years.

A large part of the reason DH and I worked out, I think, is that we didn't go into it with "marriage" on our minds. We met originally to be friends (he came to visit me in MN, where I was living yes because of other NannyMUDders). We felt like we knew each other and trusted each other because of the time we had spent talking--4 years, by that point, though those were not "romantically interested" years. We also felt sure of the other because we had a lot of other people to vouch for each one's authenticity. Quite a few couples have met because of NannyMUD, actually--I can think of half a dozen marriages off the top of my head.

Can it work? Yes. Should you distrust it? Possibly. If he's talking about marriage already--and they haven't met in person even once yet--that's too fast. I will admit that DH and I started talking about marriage very early on after having met in person, within 4 months and 30 days 'face to face', but we had known each other for almost 5 years at that point.

Where did they meet? When? Why? All those points play a factor. Internet marriages can work, but they have to start from the right place (like all marriages).

[YP1]

I've never had an internet relationship but met a lot of my friends online. My situation is a bit different because I go on a message board which, because of its subject (a particular sport) tends to have its members concentrated in the areas where the big teams are (i.e. round me), so once you get to know people you realise they live fairly close to you or will be at the same games as you to meet up for a pre-match drink.

In the most extreme example of that, one person I met through the internet lives 10 doors down from me on my road!

[SnShn13]

I think that internet dating can work also but I think that if it's going THAT fast, be weary. I met the guy I've been seeing for three years on-line... kinda. He actually went though my line at the grocery store I worked at at the time and we happened to be in the same chat room later than night. We talked for a few months before I even met up with him (I recognized him from the store...lol), hung out for a few months before I even went on a date with him (or kissed him!) and dated a couple months before we were even a couple. If they're meant to be there is NO reason to rush things because things will happen as they're meant to and they'd have forever to make things happen.

[Jen415]

I met my significant other online as well. We talked and e-mailed for six months before meeting each other face to face. I have to be honest--I knew I loved him before seeing him. But we did not rush into anything. We visited back and forth for a few months before deciding we wanted to be together permanently. I moved 1000 miles away from everyone I love to be with him, and I do not regret that decision.

BTW, he is English and I am American. He was already living in the US when I met him online.

My best advice: take things slowly. Take your time. If it is meant to be, it will be.

[Heather]

I met my husband on-line -- online personals in fact! We emailed for a while and then talked on the phone and then met in person probably 3 weeks after the first email (we lived about 30 miles apart). After that, we dated like any "normal" couple, I'd say, who didn't know each other well before they met. We took it pretty slow and got married just over 3 years after we actually met.

One thing I did like about "meeting" online was that it gave us a chance to know each other without thinking about physical appearance. It helped that my husband is a good writer and very able to express himself with the written word. I had already started to fall for him before we ever met: we have similar interests in a number of topics, and he has a great sense of humor, etc So, I think it is possible to develop an attraction and affection without ever meeting -- maybe even fall in love.

That said, I would be leery of my feelings for someone until I could see how we interacted together in the real world, but that may just be me.

There CAN be a number of people with hidden agendas online, and I think you have to be careful. Then again, there are a number of great people too. Just like in real life!

[irishgreengables]

I met my dh of 6 years on the internet, while trying to show a friend that maybe the internet was not the best way to meet men.

We actually communicated a great deal more in those first few months than most couples who live near each other. We IM'd all day long and talked on the phone at night. The nice thing was that we met each other and grew to love each other on a deeper level than physical. We met in person a few months into our relationship and travelled back and forth (he in the Mid-west, me in the west) for a few months before he moved to my city (my job was not easily moveable; his was). Before we had ever even met, we had discussed things that many couples do not even begin to discuss until after they are married. We married 15 months after meeting and have a happy, stable marriage, even after 3 kids.

Interestingly, I kept how we'd met from some older people in my life because one of them pronounced how upset he was that his son had met a woman on the internet. He thought it was disgraceful. Of course, he himself had met his wife because they were penpals during WWII, when he was at war. He propsed to her the first time they met in real life, when she met his ship upon returning home. They, at the time he complained about the internet, had been married almost 60 years. I wasn't sure why it was disgraceful to meet on the internet, but romantic and wonderful to meet as pen pals (who, BTW, communicated about once a month, not several times a day). I realized that the only difference was the medium and that, someday, our grandchildren, who will have the technology to beem themselves into each other's brains to communicate , will find internet relationships very old fashioned and romantic!

Now, regarding caution, I was lucky because I happened to know my dh's pastor at the time and, when I went out to meet him, he set up a lunch so his pastor could vouch for him not being scary in any way.

[jillybean720]

I met my boyfriend online, and we have been together for over a year-and-a-half now (that's counting from when we met face-to-face, not online). He lived about 4 hours away from me at the time. Being so far (especially in this case with US and England ), I don't think we would have met unless it was with romantic intentions. We definitely never talked about marriage before meeting, though (and even rarely talk about it now!). However, as someone else has mentioned, how they met online is a factor. Some online dating sites have you enter your intentions as part of your profile (friends, sex, dating, marriage, etc.), so if either one of them mentioned marriage in a profile or something, it might make more sense.

[barbygirl43]

I also met Jeff online (and we lived about 30 min. apart too). I got his e-mail saying he saw my profile and I just ignored it for a while. One day I decided what the heck and responded to him a few months later. We started e-mailing and chatting back and forth. We met a week or so after that, I moved in with him 3 months later and we got married 3 months after I moved in.

I've also met about 5 other guys online. The first one I met (back in 95 or 96) we remained friends up until his last girlfriend, sending out the occassional e-mail and phone call. One, I only met that once because we did not click and the others I dated off and on for a month or so.

I know Jeff and I talked about marriage and such early on after we met but I don't recall discussing it while still in the calling/chatting/e-mailing phase.

As for can you fall in love with someone you haven't met? Definitely. But until you can find out if you have chemistry with the other person, I'm not sure what you would call it.

[DishyFishy]

My hubby started writing to me after reading something I'd written on a NG. We e-mailed back and forth daily for four months and found we could really talk to each other about anything and everything. He jokes that we got to know each other inside-out.

I was planning a trip to Canada anyway (I was in the UK), and decided I would make time to visit him. At this point everything was on a purely platonic level, although we both knew in our hearts that our relationship was "deep".

We first spoke by telephone when I was staying with another 'net friend in Ontario, and after a week or so, I flew to Edmonton (missing out all those other places I'd planned to visit!). We first set eyes on each other five months after we'd started communicating. Within a week we knew we wanted to be together forever, so we married the following month. I then made a short trip back home to pack my stuff up and put my house on the market, and then I emigrated from England. All in all, from first e-mail to our wedding day was exactly six months, and we celebrated our third anniversary three weeks ago.

My family and friends were shocked when I called to say I was getting wed, but that soon wore off and they were extremely supportive and happy for me. They knew I was a sensible (reasonably!), grown-up woman and they trusted my judgement. We've been back to England once, and my sister was here last year, and everyone gets along famously.

His family were totally stunned, and even today they haven't quite wrapped their heads around it all. They have accepted me totally though without any hint of animosity or suspicion. I'd prefer a little more distance, TBH!

I never for one moment doubted my own mind or his motives. My friends, however, were much more concerned than I (purely because it originated on the 'net), despite the fact that they've met some absolute nutters in the local pubs and night clubs--people who've represented themselves as someone they are not.

Just because you can physically see someone doesn't make them any more trustworthy than someone you meet on-line. I say in both cases, keep an open mind and your wits about you, and that will serve you well. If it feels not-quite-right, it probably is not-quite-right.

It may be that this person is merely looking for a passport to a new life in the States. OTOH, (s)he could be totally genuine. The rub is, as with anything that involves someone else, you just can't know for certain. Maybe you could talk with your relative about the situation, and make sure (s)he isn't just getting caught up in the "romance" of it all? I don't think there's much else you can do.

[Sheila53]

Thanks, everyone, for your insightful comments. I'm trying to be a bit more open-minded about it, although I think it's going a bit fast (the person from the U.K. has put her home on the market already in preparation to move to the U.S.!). He's being a bit more cautious, however, and is planning a trip to the U.K. in December or January. He won't allow her to send him a photo, which I thought was kind of interesting. He wants to get to know her first, and see her for the first time when they meet face-to-face.

YP1, that's funny about the person living 10 doors down. Gotta love the Internet! Several years ago, I was on a bulletin board and I knew that one woman lived in the same town. We'd never met, however. I told her that my son had gotten engaged over Christmas, and she said that her niece had gotten engaged, too. You guessed it--her niece turned out to be my son's fiance! The kids ended up not marrying, but I've stayed friends with the aunt.

[glynne]

My son has been making friends with women on line. He is kind of shy and it seems easier for him to strike up a friendship this way. But, I have mixed feelings about it. One girl ~ they had been e-mailing, instant messaging and phoning for about 5 years. I have instant messaged with her too and she seems nice. They got to meet this summer. He is 27, she is 21, he is from Houston, and she lives in Wisconsin. That situation didn't bother me too much. Recently though he has hooked up with another woman who he met online ~ she lives in his area, and he went with a friend and they met and went to listen to a live band. She is 39. I know he is lonely and would like to find a relationship with someone, but somehow that age difference bothers me. She may be perfectly nice too, but......I don't know. I would just hate for anyone to end up being hurt or anything.

I'm sorry Sheila for intruding on your thread.

On your topic, one of the ladies I work with met her husband on-line. They each have children from previous marriages, and a child together. They seem happy. Don't know all their details, but that they met on-line, and it seems to be working out for them. Then another coworker is dating a fellow she met on-line, and he dates another woman also. She knows about the other woman, but I don't think the other woman knows about her. It is kind of an unusual situation. From reading the posts above ~ I guess it can turn out either way.

I hope everything turns out ok for your relative.

[Ottoette]

I just had to toss my story into this thread. I had about 17 internet dates about 7-8 years ago. Most just flat out didn't click, but I didn't spend a whole lot of time getting to know most of them. This one guy I chatted with quite a bit longer and when we finally met f2f there just was no chemistry. We remained friends, and one day I came by his house for something and met his roommate. We've been married 3.5 yrs now and have a 2 yo DS. I like to say we "almost" met over the internet.
It can happen, and I know it does, but I too think this is too fast. He's right to take it slower.
glynne - I'm 9 years older than my hubby and it's worked out for us. My SIL is 12 years older than my bro, and they've been married 19 years so the older woman/younger man thing does work out sometimes.

[kykaree]

Once upon a time, there was a young lady living on a tiny island off the southern most tip of Australia. She was very lonely, and one day, decided to buy a computer. Well, when she got this computer home she discovered all sorts of things, but namely internet email groups. She joined a group which was for people who wanted email pen pals. One of the people she met lived way on the other side of the world. In England. He was older too, she was only 29 and he was turning 50!!!

Well they sent emails, and used msn messenger and eventually started using the phone (the telephone companies in both countries were very pleased with this development). After four months it was pretty clear that this was a lurrrrvvee thing.

Now our young lady in Tasmania wasn't completely stupid. She, having dual citizenship with the UK as her father was British, had already decided she would move to England. But before she would do so decided that our man in question had to come to Australia first to meet her family.

So after two months of planning he arrived. He was even better in real life, and their love grew and grew in the two weeks they shared together.

For another six months there were telephone calls, letters, emails and then she decided the time was right and she moved to England.

The first year was tough, leaving her home, her friends, and having to start right from the beginning at work. It wasn't easy for him either, having to help her find her feet, and feeling guilty whenever things didn't go right.

But three years on this lady is happy. She has her knew country, her relationship is still going strong, and she has lost 53 lbs, discovered the joy of exercise, and has her life back, better than ever.

Have you worked out who the lady in the story is yet?????

So yes, it can work, you can fall in love with someone over the internet (it happened to me!!!) but you need to be realistic and always have a plan B if things don't work out!

[Goddess Jessica]

One of my favorite stories was a guy who emailed me and told me how fascinating I was and how much he enjoyed my bio and gushed a bit. When I looked at his bio, I noticed he was a couple years younger than me and was living in my hometown. When I replied, I said, "I think we went to the same high school as me." And I told him my real name (our high school was less than 400 people).

He was so embarassed that he didn't recognize me. Especially since he really didn't like me in high school. LOL