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International Relationships: How to Start One and Make It Last

Can Long Distance Relationships Work? Proven Tips and Strategies for Building Trust and Staying Connected Across the Miles

By Victoria LindgrenPublished 7 months ago 4 min read
International Relationships: How to Start One and Make It Last
Photo by lucas mendes on Unsplash

Online dating is absolutely killing it in this age. More than 400 million users are expected to utilize dating sites for international relationship. These figures are mind-blowing for all the skeptical daters who are still stuck in the real-time pick-up situations.

Finding a person online now is easy and effective, but keeping this relationship alive is an actual challenge. Today, we’ll shortly look at the simple, practical steps to sustain healthy cross-border relationships.

You’ll learn how to find a good match and date long-distance without losing interest and turning it into a meaningful connection.

Can Long-Distance Relationships Work?

Shortly saying yes, an international long distance relationship can work and may even be stronger compared to more conventional couples. According to the study, the emotional connections in long-distance relationships may be equally strong or stronger than geographically closer couples.

Before making it work, you need to:

  • define whether you truly want this sort of relationships;
  • understand what kind of connection you aspire to: monogamic or polygamic;
  • realize what partner you’re looking for.

How to Find a Foreign Partner to Start International Relationships?

You start long-distance relationships on the Internet because it’s accessible and more affordable. The most prolific way to match with your soulmate is by signing up at a specialized dating site. Stats show that online dating is the most widely used way to meet foreigners for heterosexual and LGBTQ people.

Here’s how international matchmaking services work:

  1. You register and create a profile with fresh photos.
  2. Insert your preferences and get matched with compatible members.
  3. You text your matches (a good tip is to start your message with a nice question connected to a profile of the person you’re interested in).
  4. Then create deep virtual relationships with a person, and turn them into exclusive ones.

Modern sites often lead to marriage. International marriage tendency has been booming over the last years. The recent K-1 visa stats show a huge number of overseas couples who legally marry in the United States—around 20,000 of them in 2023.

No wonder because the online way is the easiest strategy to mingle with the person who perfectly meets your intentions. In 2017, around 39% of people in the U.S admitted to meeting their partners online.

Stats in 2023 show that 1 in 10 people have met their partners online.

Ergo, finding a match online makes a lot of sense.

How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work?

If you have ever asked yourself how do long distance relationships work, then you should know that it’s all individual, depending on your time zones and ability to communicate your needs. Yet, there are certain things to do in a long distance relationship that keep it stable and balanced to not mess with your mood.

Communicate Your Needs and Expectations Via Video Chat

Whether you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, be honest about your expectations for the meetups. Tell clearly and vividly what you want. Long distance relationships won’t work well for you if you speak too little or use only texting as your means of interaction.

If you want to see your partner daily at least for 5 minutes, say it; if you want him or her to use more emojis in chats or longer sentences, say it; if you want them to respond faster, say it.

Plan Your Dates

There are plenty of long distance date ideas:

  • watch a movie together via video;
  • play online games together;
  • cook together via video call;
  • have deep questions nights;
  • go to some places and enjoy FaceTime there;
  • talk about the future trip together;
  • play Truth or Date virtually;
  • have fun with cyber sex (if you both want it)...

There are many more dates to try, but the following ones will work well for you at the beginning.

Talk About Your Fears Seriously

Psychology Today states that being honest about your fears about international relationships is important. This helps you face your worries and decrease each other’s anxieties. Don’t be afraid of being vulnerable or sad when you open up; it’s a part of healing and solving the problem.

What Kills Long-Distance Relationships?

There are 5 long-distance relationship killers:

  1. Lack of fruitful communication. Couples who only text vaguely, ghost each other for long periods, or avoid video calls and serious topics usually cease to exist.
  2. Lack of a mutual plan for the future. If you find a foreign girlfriend or boyfriend, talk to them daily, having no idea whether or not you’ll ever live together, this relationship will collapse.
  3. Lack of trust. Long-distance partners can be super jealous or insecure, which might lead to emotional swings, controlling behaviors, or accusations of nothing.
  4. Lack of normal conflict discussions. It happens in the form of silent treatment after fights, over-texting instead of having an audio or video call, not listening, or apologizing.
  5. Lack of physical connection. If your partner rarely comes to visit your country or never plans a date in your region but expects you to come to their place, it will feel daunting. Rare visits or no planning decrease your motivation to travel to another region or city, which kills the physical connection.

Overall, if one person is always initiating dates, video calls, or texting, these one-sided relationships can exhaust them. It’s vital to match with a person who wants the same things you do, especially when it comes to mutual lifestyle. Honest, frequent discussions and meetups are necessary to keep any connection alive.

Conclusions

International relationships are undoubtedly more challenging but prolific at the same time. They often begin at specialized matchmaking services, dedicated to joining compatible foreign daters together.

If you desire to meet an overseas partner to start a love journey, be ready to invest your quality time and energy in this connection. Couples should not be afraid of serious conversations, as they showcase their maturity to sustain healthy relationships.

advicedating

About the Creator

Victoria Lindgren

🌎 Born in Ohio, moved to São Paulo at 10 🇧🇷

✨ My love for travel ignited early

🌴 Explored Latin America’s vibrant soul

🌏 Immersed in global cultures, from Southeast Asia’s bustling markets to Scandinavia’s serene landscapes ❄️

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