Contributed by: Jet on Friday, March 11 2011 @ 09:15 am
Last modified on
Let’s say you’ve been a member of an online dating site for awhile, and you’ve scoured the available singles in your area, to no avail. One night, you decide to type in everything you can imagine in a dream match, and set the search radius to worldwide.
And you find your dream person. Or at least, you think you have. What next?
Online dating comes with certain stereotypes, and one of the most common is the couple who meet from halfway around the world and fall in love. It’s become such a cliche that some people resist looking outside the confines of their own hometown. While I would certainly begin by looking closer to home, it saddens me to think that someone might miss out on love because they don’t want to be “that person.”
Assuming you’re willing to take the plunge on long-distance love, how do you get started?
First, be upfront in your email that you’re not from the area, but that you’d be interested in starting a pen-pal sort of friendship. Try not to come on too strong; remember, a first-contact email is essentially a way of saying hello, not a marriage proposal. If your potential match is interested, take it slow; get to know each other as much as possible through email, or even a video chat. The more you get to know each other now, the less chances there are for unfortunate surprises when you meet in person.
If you do progress to the point where you’re ready and able to have a first date, remember to follow basic dating safety rules. Meet in a public place, preferably with someone you know nearby. Have your own transportation. Make sure someone you know has all the information you have about your date. Above all, remember to trust your gut instincts, and remove yourself from the situation if you feel uneasy.
The fact is, people who connect online, whether it be for friendship or romance, travel vast distances to meet in person all the time. Sure, there’s a certain amount of danger inherent in meeting any stranger, but common sense and caution can minimize these possibilities. When you’re communicating via the Internet, it doesn’t really matter if the person is across the state or on the next street. So next time you’re perusing profiles, think about broadening your search range. Who knows what you might find?