Over the years, I've had several relationships with people from other countries. Because of those experiences, I've learned some valuable lessons. If you are thinking about starting an international relationship or are already in one, you may find the following tips useful.
1. Never send money to someone you don't know! I have read about some people who meet a partner online, fall in love (if that's even possible), send money for support (sometimes for years), pay for family emergencies, get engaged online, and pay for travel and immigration documents; and they do all of those things without ever meeting the person face to face. In the majority of those cases, there is a sad ending for the financier. As we all know, people on the internet are not always what they claim to be. There are a number of people who make a living pretending to seek love, when in reality they seek cash. If you meet someone online, you should meet the potential partner in person before you ever decide to provide any money. A personal visit may not guarantee the person is honest, but it will go a long way toward helping you find out.
2. If you have doubts, use an investigator. Before you spend a great deal of money on an international relationship, it might be a good idea to hire a private investigator. An investigator will cost money, but may save you hundreds or thousands in the long run. Of course, finding an honest private investigator may, in itself, be a challenge. There are a number of sites that have international investigator listings. You can try to find testimonials from clients to help in this endeavor. Another option is a freelance investigator site that uses an escrow service to protect both parties involved. Here is the link: http://www.freelancesecurity.com
The following three tips are useful once you've decided to visit your partner in person:
3. If you will be spending a lot of money for the trip, you should have a backup plan. This may sound deceitful or heartless, but it is only using common sense. You should have potential side trips planned or even another potential partner or two to meet. I'm not saying you should make promises and not keep them, but instead, mention to the other potentials that you'll be traveling to the area and MAY be able to visit. That way, if things somehow go poorly with your primary partner, you can go meet with the others. Then, it may not be a wasted trip. The reason I feel it is a good and honest plan is that if things go well with your primary partner, the secondary trips MUST be canceled.
4. If your international partner is economically challenged, be wary of additional family members. When you visit, all the family (cousins, uncles, etc) will probably know and will probably want something. In many poor countries, the people living there think all foreigners are rich.
5. Before you travel, you should research about the areas you will visit. Look for travel advisories and make note of places to avoid. Also, you might find some good tips on places to take your partner once you arrive.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Issues with International Relationships
As you all know, the internet has brought about the possibility of international relationships. While the idea of meeting someone in a faraway land can be very exciting and adventurous, there are numerous issues involved with this type of relationship. Many of the potential problems are obvious, but there may be a few that don't readily come to mind.
First of all, anyone who has had a long-distance romance knows they can be very difficult. There is no physical contact with your loved one, which is an important part of a relationship. In addition, communication problems will undoubtedly occur. Internet connection problems, dead cell phone batteries, and other issues with communications devices can sometimes cause feelings of doubt. The long distance factor can also bring about trust issues. For many people, it is more difficult to trust someone when the person is not near by. All of these issues dealing with distance are challenges you may have to overcome.
Another issue that can be a potential problem is that of language. If your partner is not fluent in your language or you in theirs', there will be some difficulty in communicating. Some couples are able to deal with this issue without too many problems, but some relationships fail solely for this reason.
Immigration is another issue to think about. You just need to realize that if your international relationship continues to be a success, eventually one person will have to immigrate to the partner's country. It pays to research the immigration laws for both countries involved before you decide how to proceed.
What about scams? Is it possible your long-distance partner is just using you for money? Of course it is. That's another issue you need to be concerned about. There are people throughout the internet world who use it to dupe people out of their money. The new partner you just met online could be a fake or could be asking for financial assistance from numerous partners. Scams are definitely something to look for.
And finally, if you don't have lots of extra money, costs can be an issue. Communications costs using the internet are very inexpensive. However, depending on where your partner lives, you'll need to consider costs involved to make visits. Also, at some point there may be immigrations costs. And, in many cases where the partner lives in an economically challenged country, you may end up supporting their entire family.
First of all, anyone who has had a long-distance romance knows they can be very difficult. There is no physical contact with your loved one, which is an important part of a relationship. In addition, communication problems will undoubtedly occur. Internet connection problems, dead cell phone batteries, and other issues with communications devices can sometimes cause feelings of doubt. The long distance factor can also bring about trust issues. For many people, it is more difficult to trust someone when the person is not near by. All of these issues dealing with distance are challenges you may have to overcome.
Another issue that can be a potential problem is that of language. If your partner is not fluent in your language or you in theirs', there will be some difficulty in communicating. Some couples are able to deal with this issue without too many problems, but some relationships fail solely for this reason.
Immigration is another issue to think about. You just need to realize that if your international relationship continues to be a success, eventually one person will have to immigrate to the partner's country. It pays to research the immigration laws for both countries involved before you decide how to proceed.
What about scams? Is it possible your long-distance partner is just using you for money? Of course it is. That's another issue you need to be concerned about. There are people throughout the internet world who use it to dupe people out of their money. The new partner you just met online could be a fake or could be asking for financial assistance from numerous partners. Scams are definitely something to look for.
And finally, if you don't have lots of extra money, costs can be an issue. Communications costs using the internet are very inexpensive. However, depending on where your partner lives, you'll need to consider costs involved to make visits. Also, at some point there may be immigrations costs. And, in many cases where the partner lives in an economically challenged country, you may end up supporting their entire family.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
International Relationships on the Rise
Today, there are many more people dating internationally than there were 10 years ago. We all know the primary reason for this is the internet. The internet connects the entire globe and many websites (such as social sites, personals sites, and dating sites) help to connect people no matter where they live.
In the old days, people were limited in their choices of partners. Most people would just go down to the local bars and hope to find their dream mate. There are many more choices today, because all you have to do is create profiles on various sites and start searching. The number of people you can meet is almost limitless. It no longer matters if the area you live in has very few social spots. You can now meet people across the globe right from your keyboard.
Another reason international relationships are on the rise has to do with economics. In some countries, poor living conditions drive individuals to seek relationships in other, more prosperous countries. Many of these cases involve young and beautiful women who are willing to accept a partner who is much older. The women are looking for stability and a better life, while the men they seek have the opportunity to date someone much younger than they normally would in their own country. One might argue that these are not true love relationships and the individuals involved are just taking advantage of the situation. While there may be some truth to that argument, love can be defined in different ways.
Not all international relationships are based on economics. There are plenty of financially stable couples who originated from different countries, as well. Whether the reason is economics or not, the simple fact is that more and more people are dating across the globe.
In the old days, people were limited in their choices of partners. Most people would just go down to the local bars and hope to find their dream mate. There are many more choices today, because all you have to do is create profiles on various sites and start searching. The number of people you can meet is almost limitless. It no longer matters if the area you live in has very few social spots. You can now meet people across the globe right from your keyboard.
Another reason international relationships are on the rise has to do with economics. In some countries, poor living conditions drive individuals to seek relationships in other, more prosperous countries. Many of these cases involve young and beautiful women who are willing to accept a partner who is much older. The women are looking for stability and a better life, while the men they seek have the opportunity to date someone much younger than they normally would in their own country. One might argue that these are not true love relationships and the individuals involved are just taking advantage of the situation. While there may be some truth to that argument, love can be defined in different ways.
Not all international relationships are based on economics. There are plenty of financially stable couples who originated from different countries, as well. Whether the reason is economics or not, the simple fact is that more and more people are dating across the globe.
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