For Couples Who Met Online...

[SunDrop 59]

Was just reading through a thread on the UK regional forum and someone posted about remembering the first time she and her guy met face to face.

So I thought I'd start a thread sharing those first meeting stories, coz they're usually all gushy and warm fuzzy stories

We'd known each other for 9 months before we met face to face. He traveled to London, since I have a child and couldn't just hop on a plane to go to him. We talked a lot about what we'd do if we met and the chemistry just didn't translate in person. Every conversation finished with 'yeah, but that just isn't going to happen is it?' because we knew... you just do, don't you? lol

I remember driving to the airport to pick him up. I came off the motorway and could see planes landing. I had THE biggest stupid grin on my face, just couldn't wipe it off if I'd tried. Standing waiting at arrivals, I couldn't stop moving. There was a flight coming in at the same time from Jamaica and this giant of a Rastafarian turned to me and said, "Girly, you seem mighty nervous dere.' I just nodded and said, 'very excited!'. And I waited and waited. I heard someone say the Atlanta flight was in the baggage area. I waited some more. The obviously American 'light luggage' passengers came out, and then the swarm and then the slow pokes and the arrivals area had emptied out and still I stood waiting. I knew he was on the flight because he'd texted me to say as much.

Had I missed him? OMG, how terrible if neither of us recognised each other. A quick sprint around the area and look outside, no strays. So I go to Information. They give me a choice of 3 possibilities: not on the flight (nope), stuck with immigration or lost baggage. They point me to the phone to the immigration department and with a racing heart I pick it up. They asked his name and confirmed that yes, they had him in custody. CUSTODY??!??! I burst into tears. She went away to see what she could find out, came back asked 'do you have any idea of why he was kept?' What do you say to that?! lol... I told her that it was actually the first time we were meeting face to face and that was the only reason I could think of. She said, 'ahhhhhhhhhh. yes. that will do it. He's being interrogated at the moment, so leave your number and someone will call you.'

40 minutes later, an IO called and grilled me about how we met, did have I children, what is her name, where do I live, why did I pay for his ticket, did I know he didn't have much cash on him, what if he didn't turn out the way I expected, did I realise how dangerous what I was doing was, what if it did work out - who would go where... He then told me he'd corroborate our stories and make a decision.

Another agonising hour passed and my phone rings again, "please sit down." I burst into tears, thinking he was going to tell me that they've refused entry. Instead, he explained that they were restricting his visa to the 3 weeks on his ticket and that if he doesn't leave, he'll be an illegal immigrant .

30 minutes later, there was no doubting who he was when he walked through the gates. We just grinned at each other, hugged and I said, 'Let's get outta here before they change their minds.'

On the drive home, we just fell naturally into our usual conversation style, no awkward pauses, just compared the immigration experience. Turns out, since he's a mad movie buff, when the IO asked him the purpose of his visit, and the phrasing was exactly the same as in some movie, he replied as the guy did in the movie, "Well, I'm here to see about a girl..."

About 4 hours later, sitting on my couch eating his leftover candy, he slid a chewy ring on my finger and asked me to marry him before stealing our first kiss.

I always joke about how the embassy better not ask to see the ring, coz I'd have to tell them I ate it. lol

[Uncle Wally 2]

It looks like you put some serious work into your thread here and it wandered down to page 3 with no replies, so I'll bump it back up for you.

I met my old lady in a bar when I was half in the bag with all my buddies, back when I lived in Japan. We weren't even on the pull that night- we were just out for a good old fashioned booze-up.

That night, I only chatted her up for about 15 minutes and got her number. We texted back and forth for a few days after and eventually made a date.

A few years later, thinking I was complimenting her on her good looks, I told her "Boy, was I happy when you showed up for that first date and you were smoking hot, just like I remembered you. I was pretty hammered when we first met, and I was afraid you'd show up for our date and be lookin' pretty rough."

Oddly, she didn't take it as much of a compliment. Go figure.

[Ban Hammer 13,548]

It looks like you put some serious work into your thread here and it wandered down to page 3 with no replies, so I'll bump it back up for you.

I met my old lady in a bar when I was half in the bag with all my buddies, back when I lived in Japan. We weren't even on the pull that night- we were just out for a good old fashioned booze-up.

That night, I only chatted her up for about 15 minutes and got her number. We texted back and forth for a few days after and eventually made a date.

A few years later, thinking I was complimenting her on her good looks, I told her "Boy, was I happy when you showed up for that first date and you were smoking hot, just like I remembered you. I was pretty hammered when we first met, and I was afraid you'd show up for our date and be lookin' pretty rough."

Oddly, she didn't take it as much of a compliment. Go figure.

:rofl:

[Revenesque 2]

Was just reading through a thread on the UK regional forum and someone posted about remembering the first time she and her guy met face to face.

So I thought I'd start a thread sharing those first meeting stories, coz they're usually all gushy and warm fuzzy stories

We'd known each other for 9 months before we met face to face. He traveled to London, since I have a child and couldn't just hop on a plane to go to him. We talked a lot about what we'd do if we met and the chemistry just didn't translate in person. Every conversation finished with 'yeah, but that just isn't going to happen is it?' because we knew... you just do, don't you? lol

I remember driving to the airport to pick him up. I came off the motorway and could see planes landing. I had THE biggest stupid grin on my face, just couldn't wipe it off if I'd tried. Standing waiting at arrivals, I couldn't stop moving. There was a flight coming in at the same time from Jamaica and this giant of a Rastafarian turned to me and said, "Girly, you seem mighty nervous dere.' I just nodded and said, 'very excited!'. And I waited and waited. I heard someone say the Atlanta flight was in the baggage area. I waited some more. The obviously American 'light luggage' passengers came out, and then the swarm and then the slow pokes and the arrivals area had emptied out and still I stood waiting. I knew he was on the flight because he'd texted me to say as much.

Had I missed him? OMG, how terrible if neither of us recognised each other. A quick sprint around the area and look outside, no strays. So I go to Information. They give me a choice of 3 possibilities: not on the flight (nope), stuck with immigration or lost baggage. They point me to the phone to the immigration department and with a racing heart I pick it up. They asked his name and confirmed that yes, they had him in custody. CUSTODY??!??! I burst into tears. She went away to see what she could find out, came back asked 'do you have any idea of why he was kept?' What do you say to that?! lol... I told her that it was actually the first time we were meeting face to face and that was the only reason I could think of. She said, 'ahhhhhhhhhh. yes. that will do it. He's being interrogated at the moment, so leave your number and someone will call you.'

40 minutes later, an IO called and grilled me about how we met, did have I children, what is her name, where do I live, why did I pay for his ticket, did I know he didn't have much cash on him, what if he didn't turn out the way I expected, did I realise how dangerous what I was doing was, what if it did work out - who would go where... He then told me he'd corroborate our stories and make a decision.

Another agonising hour passed and my phone rings again, "please sit down." I burst into tears, thinking he was going to tell me that they've refused entry. Instead, he explained that they were restricting his visa to the 3 weeks on his ticket and that if he doesn't leave, he'll be an illegal immigrant .

30 minutes later, there was no doubting who he was when he walked through the gates. We just grinned at each other, hugged and I said, 'Let's get outta here before they change their minds.'

On the drive home, we just fell naturally into our usual conversation style, no awkward pauses, just compared the immigration experience. Turns out, since he's a mad movie buff, when the IO asked him the purpose of his visit, and the phrasing was exactly the same as in some movie, he replied as the guy did in the movie, "Well, I'm here to see about a girl..."

About 4 hours later, sitting on my couch eating his leftover candy, he slid a chewy ring on my finger and asked me to marry him before stealing our first kiss.

I always joke about how the embassy better not ask to see the ring, coz I'd have to tell them I ate it. lol

That is such a sweet story! :-)

Mine wasn't that dramatic. My man walked through the gates from the airport, our eyes met and we were both relieved we looked like each other in the photos. I then texted my girlfriends "He's HOT!"

[chri'stina 190]

Mine wasn't that dramatic. My man walked through the gates from the airport, our eyes met and we were both relieved we looked like each other in the photos. I then texted my girlfriends "He's HOT!"

Mine was pretty crazy, going all the way to India. It was after chatting for 2 years and 1 month! But being an old fashioned gal, my daddy also came to India with me. I was 22 and neither Suj nor my family wanted me going all the way there alone. And of course my dad wanted to meet him too, what father wouldn't want to if given the chance and not against the meeting?

Anyway, it was crazy like I said. Lack of sleep, traveling over 24 hours to get there, so tired, and in the midst of a culture where public displays of affection are not as common(not very acceptable). So it was more a nice greeting, no running and getting swept in each others' arms like a movie scene. But very happy and an extremely memorable trip. Leaving was more like a movie scene, holding hands across the airport entrance bc I didn't know that once we went in, we couldn't go back out and he couldn't come in. I even tapped a shoulder of a security guard asking if I could at least give him a hug across the door, and the answer was a big fat NO. lol. Now I laugh, but then I was crying my eyes out, like in a movie - I told ya. We held hands and then let go, sob! hehe. That was in October of 2003. Now he's been here over 5 years.

Edited December 10, 2009 by chri'stina

[Malrothien 6]

When hubby and I met face to face, he picked me up at work. Two coworkers and I were looking at grave sites for celebrities ( ) when he walked in with a bouquet of roses. We were awkward only because we're both shy when meeting new people. Once we were in my car together we just chatted like normal. Went to dinner, but arrived an hour before our reservation so waited outside in the cold where he held me so I wouldn't be cold. After dinner, went back to my house to watch Lord of the Rings and stayed up until 4am talking.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Great thread.

My wife and I had been talking on the phone every day for seven months before my first trip down to meet her in person. She was SO worried that I was going to get cold feet and turn around and get back on a plane! I constantly assured her beforehand that such would NEVER be the case. We were deeply in love from the first week we started talking, and it's truly amazing for me to think back to how long we were apart before we first met...

When I arrived at the airport, she was waiting outside with her car in the pick-up lane...she got out, and both of us were grinning from ear to ear. Seconds later I was enveloped in a hug and had a tongue pushed deep into my mouth.

We went back to her place, stopping to pick up a sushi order on the way...and it was doubly clear to both of us how incredibly happy we were to finally be together. Nine weeks later she came to Vancouver for Christmas, and I proposed right at midnight on New Year's Day. We've had many visits over this past year, but each time we part is very, very difficult for both of us. Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn't visit so often, just because the separation hurts so badly...

Nah, the visits are more than worth it.

[chinese_mutt 11]

He landed in Manila early in the morning... since I don't have a car, I rented a pick-up van with driver from the hotel. I had to take a taxi to the hotel though to catch the pick-up van. And I sneaked out of the house coz nobody in my family knew that I was dating online. Hehe.

Got to the airport and I found out that his flight arrived early. In the airport, there is a see through window where you can view the people going through immigration. So.. I got a good look at my husband first. He looked out at the window and I instinctively hid away from his view. I dunno why!! I saw him go through immigration and I figured he'd be a while waiting for his baggage. I sent him a text telling him I'd wait in one of the airport wings. The driver of the van spotted him first though and told him I was waiting inside the van! hehe... luckily I saw him walking to the van and just met him there. It was super awkward. We had an awkward hug (yes, my fault.. hehe I sorta turned away a bit coz lots of people were watching, not used to PDA). We stopped in Mc Donalds to get breakfast and it was still awkward. We got to the hotel.. still a bit awkward. Haha.. then he gave me a kiss... of course!!! STILL AWKWARD! He went and got a shower and came out and we chatted about it. We unearthed his luggage and put his things away. Finally, we managed to get back to normal and not feel weird seeing and touching each other. And the rest they say is history!

We still laugh about our first meeting to this day.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

It was super awkward. We had an awkward hug (yes, my fault.. hehe I sorta turned away a bit coz lots of people were watching, not used to PDA).

Hey, don't feel bad -- it took me about a day to get used to being kissed by my wife in public. I instinctively turned my head a few times when she was going in for a kiss...even though I'm a guy and LOVE to be kissed! I think it's natural that there's going to be slight awkwardness at first...just getting used to being around each other, learning one another's quirks and mannerisms etc.

[Uncle Wally 2]

It was super awkward. We had an awkward hug (yes, my fault.. hehe I sorta turned away a bit coz lots of people were watching, not used to PDA).

Hey, don't feel bad -- it took me about a day to get used to being kissed by my wife in public. I instinctively turned my head a few times when she was going in for a kiss...even though I'm a guy and LOVE to be kissed! I think it's natural that there's going to be slight awkwardness at first...just getting used to being around each other, learning one another's quirks and mannerisms etc.

This is what I don't understand about meeting and becoming intimate with someone on the Internet, possibly even becoming engaged to marry them, without ever having met them. It just seems like an a$$-backwards way to go about things. These "quirks and mannerisms" are a big part of why you fall in love with someone, in my opinion. How can you commit yourself to someone prior to having experienced that? What's it like to have your first kiss with your fiancé, when that person became your fiancé before you ever kissed them, let alone met them in person?

What squirrelly times we live in.

[scandal 951]

It was super awkward. We had an awkward hug (yes, my fault.. hehe I sorta turned away a bit coz lots of people were watching, not used to PDA).

Hey, don't feel bad -- it took me about a day to get used to being kissed by my wife in public. I instinctively turned my head a few times when she was going in for a kiss...even though I'm a guy and LOVE to be kissed! I think it's natural that there's going to be slight awkwardness at first...just getting used to being around each other, learning one another's quirks and mannerisms etc.

This is what I don't understand about meeting and becoming intimate with someone on the Internet, possibly even becoming engaged to marry them, without ever having met them. It just seems like an a$$-backwards way to go about things. These "quirks and mannerisms" are a big part of why you fall in love with someone, in my opinion. How can you commit yourself to someone prior to having experienced that? What's it like to have your first kiss with your fiancé, when that person became your fiancé before you ever kissed them, let alone met them in person?

What squirrelly times we live in.

I don't judge. Whatever floats your boat, I say. If people fall in love online before a first meeting, more power to them.

I met my wife online. But we were just penpals and exchanging emails prior to our first meeting. Our first meeting happened when I had a business trip to Australia, and arranged to fly via Thailand and spend a few days in Bangkok. That gave us a chance to meet, go out to dinner, see the sights, without any pressure that it was supposed to lead to something. Made everything much more like "normal" dating, despite the long physical separation.

[chinese_mutt 11]

It was super awkward. We had an awkward hug (yes, my fault.. hehe I sorta turned away a bit coz lots of people were watching, not used to PDA).

Hey, don't feel bad -- it took me about a day to get used to being kissed by my wife in public. I instinctively turned my head a few times when she was going in for a kiss...even though I'm a guy and LOVE to be kissed! I think it's natural that there's going to be slight awkwardness at first...just getting used to being around each other, learning one another's quirks and mannerisms etc.

This is what I don't understand about meeting and becoming intimate with someone on the Internet, possibly even becoming engaged to marry them, without ever having met them. It just seems like an a$$-backwards way to go about things. These "quirks and mannerisms" are a big part of why you fall in love with someone, in my opinion. How can you commit yourself to someone prior to having experienced that? What's it like to have your first kiss with your fiancé, when that person became your fiancé before you ever kissed them, let alone met them in person?

What squirrelly times we live in.

I don't judge. Whatever floats your boat, I say. If people fall in love online before a first meeting, more power to them.

I met my wife online. But we were just penpals and exchanging emails prior to our first meeting. Our first meeting happened when I had a business trip to Australia, and arranged to fly via Thailand and spend a few days in Bangkok. That gave us a chance to meet, go out to dinner, see the sights, without any pressure that it was supposed to lead to something. Made everything much more like "normal" dating, despite the long physical separation.

I understand both sides.. whatever floats your boat.

Well as for me and hubby, we agreed prior to meeting that if "it" did not happen that we'd both just enjoy each other's company as friends and we'd go do stuffs together less the intimacies and physical relationship if one of us didn't really feel "it".

[Dr. Obvious 49]

When we met, I was as relieved as any 21 year old could be at the chance for escape from having to live batshet insane elderly woman in a country I had only spent all of 2 days in.

I'm not sure if that was warm or fuzzy. I never seriously intended on meeting this dude from ICQ before the issue was greatly pushed, so there were no hugs or kisses or any of that. Just I thought he was pretty smoking in person and "Hey, I am on vacation...".

[NickD 203]

Quite a contrast in meeting a person on the web then continuing on in a very long relationship, developing a deep friendship and dependency on each other. Then wondering all the time, is this for real or just my imagination? Was a bit of apprehension in the first meeting, but we would always be friends, but worked the other way, it was pure magic for both of us. Add to that, a USCIS imposed year of waiting, could have broken up, but didn't, the relationship even grew stronger with many obstacles to overcome.

While my wife was very proficient in both the English reading and writing, had difficulty with verbal skills. When absolute communication was necessary, back to the computer on messenger, but this time, sitting side by side. Closing line would always be, would you like to go upstairs? What a way to end the conversation.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

This is what I don't understand about meeting and becoming intimate with someone on the Internet, possibly even becoming engaged to marry them, without ever having met them. It just seems like an a$$-backwards way to go about things. These "quirks and mannerisms" are a big part of why you fall in love with someone, in my opinion. How can you commit yourself to someone prior to having experienced that? What's it like to have your first kiss with your fiancé, when that person became your fiancé before you ever kissed them, let alone met them in person?

What squirrelly times we live in.

It's okay, Uncle Wally. By the same token, I don't understand how someone can get completely drunk and meet and become intimate with one's eventual wife THAT way.

I can't speak for other cultures with language barriers etc., but for me, there was such a depth of character I learned about my eventual wife when we first met. I was quite active in the local dating scene, was on LavaLife and eHarmony before meeting her etc., but when I first met my eventual wife on an internet forum, there was an initial spark... Then we exchanged a number of PMs. And a couple of days later, we were talking on the phone. And I'm being literal when I say there hasn't been a single day since late February of '08 that we haven't talked on the phone. Fortunately I've got digital phone service with free long distance...

I can't really explain it...but her and I both just knew early on that we would get married and be together. Meeting in person for the first time was important, yes, but seven months of getting to know each other made the importance a bit more superficial.