1. How long have you been with your SO? How far apart are you?
Just over 10 months. I'm in New York, he's in Paris, so we are 3,615 miles apart.
2. Briefly describe your SO’s personality?
He's witty and sarcastic and funny. A bit on the shy side, but when he warms to you, he can talk about anything and everything. Incredibly intelligent and caring.
3. What do you believe is the hardest part in maintaining a long distance relationship?
Dealing with the loneliness. I'm a very physical, touch-oriented person, so being physically apart for long periods of time is very difficult on me emotionally.
4. Are there any advantages to a LDR.
Some, I guess. I can go out with my friends without feeling like I should be spending time with my SO. I have more time to concentrate on my studies (not that I use that time particularly wisely, though...)
5. Do you find keeping a LDR going frustrating?
Only in that we're not physically together. Otherwise, I haven't found anything particularly difficult about communicating--we're both students so we're constantly on our computers, and can text each other for free because we both have the same phone. We are closing the distance in a few months, so, the end is in sight and it makes things so much easier.
6. If there are any problems, do they tend to be reoccurring issues? If so what are they?
JP has a tendency to snap when he's angry and yell and has said hurtful things, but it's something he's aware of and is working to keep in check. I can be petty and a bit too blunt. We're both pretty sensitive people with shaky relationships with our parents, but, the overwhelming majority of the time we're very good at supporting each other. Even though I speak French well and he speaks English even better, we misinterpret each other sometimes, but that's usually easily resolved. We talk everything out and come to a solution.
7. What do you believe is the key/s to a healthy relationship?
Open, honest communication and respect.
8. How important is trust?
Essential. You can't be in a relationship with someone you don't trust.
9. Has jealousy ever been an issue? If so how do you deal with it?
Not really--JP was once at a party and met an American girl who didn't really speak French, and when she couldn't find a taxi home after the metro closed, he invited her up to his apartment until the metro opened in the morning. That bothered me a bit, but he told me about it as it was happening, I trust him, and I know he was just being nice. JP gets bristly the few times I've talked about my ex, but, he's never said anything about me going out with groups of friends of both genders. Jealousy isn't something that's really on our radar.
10. Is your feeling of intimacy (emotional closeness) towards your SO affected by the distance?
Not hugely. We make sure to talk on Skype often and it still gives me butterflies to look at him, and we discuss pretty much everything about our days. I lately have been frustrated and impatient about not being able to see him, and it makes me sad that we can't kiss each other good bye in the mornings or cuddle at night, but that will all happen very soon.
11. How do you attempt to maintain “closeness” while separated? In other words how do you cope through time spent apart?
We talk constantly through the day, mostly through text or IM, about anything and everything. We send each other postcards and the occasional care package. We make goofy faces to each other on Skype and laugh and talk about our future together.
12. Do you see any shift in yourself, emotions/actions, when separated from your SO?
I think both of us tend to get more upset over little things when we're separated. Otherwise, not really.
13. Is it worth it?
2,000%. He makes me so happy.
Just over 10 months. I'm in New York, he's in Paris, so we are 3,615 miles apart.
2. Briefly describe your SO’s personality?
He's witty and sarcastic and funny. A bit on the shy side, but when he warms to you, he can talk about anything and everything. Incredibly intelligent and caring.
3. What do you believe is the hardest part in maintaining a long distance relationship?
Dealing with the loneliness. I'm a very physical, touch-oriented person, so being physically apart for long periods of time is very difficult on me emotionally.
4. Are there any advantages to a LDR.
Some, I guess. I can go out with my friends without feeling like I should be spending time with my SO. I have more time to concentrate on my studies (not that I use that time particularly wisely, though...)
5. Do you find keeping a LDR going frustrating?
Only in that we're not physically together. Otherwise, I haven't found anything particularly difficult about communicating--we're both students so we're constantly on our computers, and can text each other for free because we both have the same phone. We are closing the distance in a few months, so, the end is in sight and it makes things so much easier.
6. If there are any problems, do they tend to be reoccurring issues? If so what are they?
JP has a tendency to snap when he's angry and yell and has said hurtful things, but it's something he's aware of and is working to keep in check. I can be petty and a bit too blunt. We're both pretty sensitive people with shaky relationships with our parents, but, the overwhelming majority of the time we're very good at supporting each other. Even though I speak French well and he speaks English even better, we misinterpret each other sometimes, but that's usually easily resolved. We talk everything out and come to a solution.
7. What do you believe is the key/s to a healthy relationship?
Open, honest communication and respect.
8. How important is trust?
Essential. You can't be in a relationship with someone you don't trust.
9. Has jealousy ever been an issue? If so how do you deal with it?
Not really--JP was once at a party and met an American girl who didn't really speak French, and when she couldn't find a taxi home after the metro closed, he invited her up to his apartment until the metro opened in the morning. That bothered me a bit, but he told me about it as it was happening, I trust him, and I know he was just being nice. JP gets bristly the few times I've talked about my ex, but, he's never said anything about me going out with groups of friends of both genders. Jealousy isn't something that's really on our radar.
10. Is your feeling of intimacy (emotional closeness) towards your SO affected by the distance?
Not hugely. We make sure to talk on Skype often and it still gives me butterflies to look at him, and we discuss pretty much everything about our days. I lately have been frustrated and impatient about not being able to see him, and it makes me sad that we can't kiss each other good bye in the mornings or cuddle at night, but that will all happen very soon.
11. How do you attempt to maintain “closeness” while separated? In other words how do you cope through time spent apart?
We talk constantly through the day, mostly through text or IM, about anything and everything. We send each other postcards and the occasional care package. We make goofy faces to each other on Skype and laugh and talk about our future together.
12. Do you see any shift in yourself, emotions/actions, when separated from your SO?
I think both of us tend to get more upset over little things when we're separated. Otherwise, not really.
13. Is it worth it?
2,000%. He makes me so happy.
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