What sound my an exciting time is turning into a nightmare

[Heartinplants]

So my family doesn't like that I'm planning on visit my SO in two weeks and its the first visit. I met my SO online. They think my SO should be the one that should come up here not me going down there. My mother is also agrees with them but she also know my SO doesn't like traveling my them self and has anxiety. She has seen them on camera briefly when I was talking with my SO and also has a their Skype name for awhile but hasn't say much to my SO.

One thing they don't like is me traveling alone across country and doesn't help that I am female. Saying stuff could happen that I'm alone while traveling or when I meet my SO. Also how the world has change in the last ten years. I am nervous about traveling by my self but I still going to travel with no one.

Just recently I found out that my brother has had a couple ldr in the past and he met them online. All of them, i guess they didn't work out. The longest one was five months and she just vanish and the shortest one was only a few weeks because he was being catfish. He says that online dating doesn't end well. He also only found about the ldr and the visit just recent.

I'm nervous when I meet my S0 that we wont be as compatibility in person as we are online. I just wish my family wouldbe happy that I finally find someone again after a long time of me being single. I just want them to be nervous about the same things as I am.

I also have thought of them having letting them meet him on Skype so they can see and talk to him but i will be there. I'm just nervous what they might say and having one of my family members saying something that will start his anxiety.

I'm just curious has anyone had to go through this?

[autumn1790]

I traveled across the entire world to meet my SO because it was easier for me to go there than for him to come here. I did go with my sister and her husband, but I'm not sure I would've had it not been international. You are fully an adult and fully able to make your own decisions. Family is never going to be fully on board--look out for your best interests. Use common sense, have a backup plan, set safeguards in place, and do your own thing. A the end of the day, only you have to live with yourself and this SO if that's how it turns out. LDRs can work...the people on here are a testament to that.

[Littlewhiteflower]

It's normal to be scared at first. My parents were completely against my relationship with my SO and, even after two years and after having met him, they still worry. The first meeting is always the most stressful I'd say as even though you have a connection online, you have no idea how the person will be in real life (even if you have skyped 1000 times before). In my case, he was the one visiting first. My parents would have been against the idea of me visiting first.

I went to see him last summer. I travelled by myself, took the plane alone and tried to find my way around in the biggest airport of the country (it was scary haha), but I enjoyed the experience so much. It was an amazing adventure and I'd do it again tomorrow morning. You have to be careful. It's true, but no need to be paranoid either. I think at some points, you have to learn to let go some of your worries.

If it does not work with your SO, then there is nothing you can do about it. In my case, we did not have a plan B in case it did not work, but you can have one if you see you don't want to stay in the same room as this person any longer. you can look around for cheap motels, or places where to go. You can make a list of means of transportation and see your options in case something turns bad.

Other than that, I think you should just go for it and not worry too much about what the family says. I don't think mine will ever understand the link, the connection I have with my SO, because they don't know what is to be in a long distance relationship. I learned to accept that and it is something I have to live with.

Enjoy your time traveling. This is an amazing experience. Believe me!