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New to Long Distance - Communication Issues

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    New to Long Distance - Communication Issues

    About Me:
    I have a job which allows me to work from anywhere. The woman I am interested in is aware of this.

    Back Story
    Met a young woman about a year ago. We both live in the same apartment complex (she worked their - we weren't allowed to date). Fast forward to May of last year, she informed me she was moving to California. I was disappointed but happy for her. I wrote her a letter explaining how I felt about her and wished her luck (goodbye letter). After she read it, she Facebook friended me and messaged me. She basically told me sorry we couldn't work out and to keep in touch. I said I understood why and I will definitely keep in touch. Fast forward some more...we keep in touch and message every now and then. I messaged her something funny for Valentine's Day (Feb. 2016) and that's when she informed me she would be in town next weekend and we should meet up for drinks. I, of course, said yes.

    Our First Meetup Since She Moved:
    When I saw her, we hugged and she introduced me to her friends. I talked to her friends and bought a couple rounds of drinks...etc. I talked to the woman I was interested in when I had my chances. So the night is coming to a close and she says so will I see you when I come back in town next time. I said yeah, I should be available just let me know. She then asked if I would be coming out to California anytime soon. I said I planned to visit my brother sometime this year so I would let her know. She said hopefully soon. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.

    The Next Evening:
    She messages me via Facebook and says that she'll be in town in June for a wedding and she would like to hangout if I was around. I said of course, I could even be your date. I also said that the next time I come out to California it wouldn't be to visit family but to visit you. How do you feel about that. She said Yes on both counts. I said great. I was thinking a long weekend. Send me some dates. She said likely April (we were both busy in March). I said perfect and told her to keep me posted. She told me definitely. The next day, I got her number and told her I would like to talk to her once a week starting next week to get to know her more...etc. (explained it didn't have to be a long conversation).

    Communication:
    We have only talked twice on the phone since I got her number and set things up. The first communication lasted 45 minutes. It seemed a bit long. The second one we moved the date because she is leaving the country for two weeks to go on vacation (exploring Asia). It was short, maybe 15 minutes, and I thought went better. We both seemed more relaxed. We text randomly but I'm the only one who initiates the texting. She responds almost immediately to my texts (obviously more delayed now that she is out of country). It seems to me like I'm more invested than she is. When we last spoke I said so I won't talk to you for two weeks (she's going on her trip). She said yeah but you can text me. So my thought from hearing that is I should text more and keep the phone calls shorter. I don't know. This is all new to me (long distance) and I'm not sure if this is just how long distance communication feels. We aren't dating. Nothing has been discussed. We're in this gray area I feel and I'm not sure what the rules are and how to proceed.

    My Questions:
    - Should I ask her what her best form of communication is? Is there a good way to ask this?
    - How often should I text or call? She doesn't initiate the texts but responds right away. Does this mean anything?
    - She answers questions that I ask about her but doesn't ask about me much. I feel like she is maybe not interested or just doesn't like talking on the phone. Does this mean anything?
    - How should I go about reminding her to send me dates for meeting up in April? It's early yet but I like having a plan (plus I need to book a flight). I'm not so sure that she is that kind of person.
    - Should I confront her about what her expectations are between now and April (if we even meetup)? I feel like we aren't connecting and when you're not connecting you lose interest. I'm used to meeting in person and connecting face to face.
    - Should I ask if she has ever been in a LDR? And then proceed to ask her about her best form of communication from there.

    I'm a bit lost as to how to handle the distance and connecting with her between now and April. I would like to be able to meetup with her in April to get some one on one time so we can decide if we like each other enough to continue or just be friends.

    Thank you in advance for your advice!

    #2
    Welcome to LFAD.

    As you stated,you aren't dating, so this is a long distance friendship. When you told her how you felt, she acknowledged your feelings but stated that it wouldn't work out but you could be friends.

    I do agree that you are more vested in this than she is. I'm going to be honest, it sounds like she is looking at this as a casual friendship where you talk every now and then and text sometimes. If you see each other when you are in the same area, then great. When you have your dates for April, you can tell her when you'll be there and let her take it from there. If she hasn't said anything about it again by a week before you are set to go, then maybe just remind her of when you'll be visiting your brother.

    At this point, I wouldn't even approach talking about being in an LDR. Not only are you not on the same page, you're not even in the same chapter right now. If she is interested in more, I'm sure she would have said something by now. It has been almost a year since she moved. Good luck.
    To those who dream, nothing is ever far away.

    ​Distance is to love as wind is to fire. It blows out the little ones and fans the big ones.

    Comment


      #3
      Thank you for your feedback.

      She is supposed to provide me the dates for April (See The Next Evening Section). She said she would let me know. I guess I'll just wait until she does and not press for it. I'll continue to keep our conversations and texts to a minimum and just see what happens.

      Comment


        #4
        I was in a similar situation for a few months, when I started talking more and more on WhatsApp and Skype with a former coworker (now my girlfriend). I also told her I kind of liked her and she told me that she would accept dating me if we were in the same city. From there I speculated that she was also interested in me and that we were in some kind of untold long-distance relationship. I had the same questions as you: should I text more? should I text less? should I confront her and settle the question of what we are? Since we had planned to see each other for a week around New Year's Eve, I did nothing and waited to be in front of her to settle this. I did good: it turns out that for the past months, she was only seeing me as a friend, and when she had told me she would date me, she only meant she would hang out. What actually triggered feelings for her was being with me for real during our vacations and finding in me some qualities that she couldn't have noticed through texts and Skype. If I had asked her earlier what we were, she would have said we are friends, and that would have been it.

        So I advise you to not put too much pressure on yourself for now and not to consider yourself in a LDR with her. You would only expose you to being hurt if at any point she tells you she found someone in her city, and realize you invested too much time overthinking something that had not even started yet.
        Last edited by sunmat; March 19, 2016, 03:21 PM.

        Comment


          #5
          Sunmat,

          Thank you very much for sharing your story. I will adopt your game plan and just play it cool for now. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by R&R View Post
            Welcome to LFAD.

            As you stated,you aren't dating, so this is a long distance friendship. When you told her how you felt, she acknowledged your feelings but stated that it wouldn't work out but you could be friends.

            I do agree that you are more vested in this than she is. I'm going to be honest, it sounds like she is looking at this as a casual friendship where you talk every now and then and text sometimes. If you see each other when you are in the same area, then great. When you have your dates for April, you can tell her when you'll be there and let her take it from there. If she hasn't said anything about it again by a week before you are set to go, then maybe just remind her of when you'll be visiting your brother.

            At this point, I wouldn't even approach talking about being in an LDR. Not only are you not on the same page, you're not even in the same chapter right now. If she is interested in more, I'm sure she would have said something by now. It has been almost a year since she moved. Good luck.
            OP, I am in agreement with R&R(eeeek!!!)

            First Visit: September 2016
            Second Visit: January 2017 (Her birthday)
            Third Visit: June 2018 (medical conference near her home)

            John 3:16
            For God so loved the world. That he gave his only begotten son. For whosoever believeth in him. Shall not perish but have eternal life
            John 4:12
            I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

            Comment


              #7
              I'm in agreement with you agreeing with R&R

              Comment


                #8
                **Update**

                We continued to talk and she gave me dates to come and visit. I will visit her for a long weekend (Thurs to Mon) in about a week. She is taking off of work and got out of helping her sister with a wedding. Looking good so far. We have a lot of activities planned. Just going with the mindset of having a good time and whatever happens...happens. I'm curious if I should bring anything up (depending on what takes place) about if she has ever been in an LDR or has any interest in being in one?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by NewToLongDistance View Post
                  **Update**

                  We continued to talk and she gave me dates to come and visit. I will visit her for a long weekend (Thurs to Mon) in about a week. She is taking off of work and got out of helping her sister with a wedding. Looking good so far. We have a lot of activities planned. Just going with the mindset of having a good time and whatever happens...happens. I'm curious if I should bring anything up (depending on what takes place) about if she has ever been in an LDR or has any interest in being in one?
                  Have a great meeting! Don't worry about discussing your relationship right now, just go with the flow and see how the visit goes. I'm sure that you'll have a much better idea of what you should talk about after a day or two together
                  Our separation of each other is an optical illusion of consciousness. ~Albert Einstein

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by NewToLongDistance View Post
                    **Update**

                    We continued to talk and she gave me dates to come and visit. I will visit her for a long weekend (Thurs to Mon) in about a week. She is taking off of work and got out of helping her sister with a wedding. Looking good so far. We have a lot of activities planned. Just going with the mindset of having a good time and whatever happens...happens. I'm curious if I should bring anything up (depending on what takes place) about if she has ever been in an LDR or has any interest in being in one?
                    I would have brought the LDR question up on the phone. Not after the two of you are face-to-face. But that is a moot point now, as to timing.

                    As for the things she has done to 'clear her calendar'. They seem very positive.

                    Stick with that mindset.

                    First Visit: September 2016
                    Second Visit: January 2017 (Her birthday)
                    Third Visit: June 2018 (medical conference near her home)

                    John 3:16
                    For God so loved the world. That he gave his only begotten son. For whosoever believeth in him. Shall not perish but have eternal life
                    John 4:12
                    I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by R&R View Post
                      Welcome to LFAD.

                      As you stated,you aren't dating, so this is a long distance friendship. When you told her how you felt, she acknowledged your feelings but stated that it wouldn't work out but you could be friends.

                      I do agree that you are more vested in this than she is. I'm going to be honest, it sounds like she is looking at this as a casual friendship where you talk every now and then and text sometimes. If you see each other when you are in the same area, then great. When you have your dates for April, you can tell her when you'll be there and let her take it from there. If she hasn't said anything about it again by a week before you are set to go, then maybe just remind her of when you'll be visiting your brother.

                      At this point, I wouldn't even approach talking about being in an LDR. Not only are you not on the same page, you're not even in the same chapter right now. If she is interested in more, I'm sure she would have said something by now. It has been almost a year since she moved. Good luck.
                      I completely agree with this.

                      Comment

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