Open Roll call!

[♪♫♪ Shannon ♪♫♪]

1. Date relationship began?
December 11, 2011

2. Date relationship became LDR?
December 11, 2011

3. Why are you LD?
Matt and I live 250 miles apart.

4. Where do each of you live?
I live in Boston and Matt lives in Albany

5. How often do you get to visit?
Once per month

6. Do you like where your SO lives?
It is so different from where I live. It is quiet, peaceful, and relaxing. I wish there was more to do, but I love it nonetheless.

7. Best part about being in a LDR?
The moment when you first see your SO after a time apart is the best moment. Matt and I recently did 10 weeks apart from each other. He surprised me with flowers at the beach. The moment I turned around and saw him standing there was probably one of the best moments of my life. That feeling is something you cannot ever get rid of.

8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR?
The most frustrating part for me is when something goes wrong and you cannot be there to help your SO out. Matt has been having many issues at work, and I cannot be there to help him through them. When he is so upset that he cannot form words, the one thing I want to do is hug him. It is so frustrating when you can't do that.

9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR?
I wish I knew how hard it was to say goodbye. I hate leaving. The feeling of both of us being miserable is unbearable. But, the feeling of meeting again is so worth any pain.

10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR?
Take any minute you have with your SO and cherish it. Even if it is only for a short time, the time you do have is precious. Take whatever the cards bring you and make the best of it.

[bigmac62]

1. Date relationship began?
October 4, 2007.

2. Date relationship became LDR?
That same day. We've basically been long-distance since the beginning, but we did spend a few months close-distance.

3. Why are you LD?
At the moment, we're just not able to close the distance.

4. Where do each of you live?
I live in Central New York. She lives in Western New York, about 250 miles from where I live.

5. How often do you get to visit?
Whenever we can afford to and it doesn't interfere with our schedules.

6. Do you like where your SO lives?
Love it! It feels like the town I live in, so it just seems like home.

7. Best part about being in a LDR?
Those first few minutes in a visit, when you can't stop kissing and hugging each other.

8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR?
Those last few minutes in a visit, when you don't want to let them go.

9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR?
There will be nights, whether you are male or female, that you will be incredibly depressed because the one you love isn't there.

10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR?
Show as much love as you can when you can. It may not be possible to show emotion in an e-mail or IM, but your SO will feel the love.

[kteire]

1. Date relationship began?
May 22, 2010
2. Date relationship became LDR?
July 15, 2010
3. Why are you LD?
I met him while I was living in Ireland. I had a 1 year working holiday visa, and can't get another Irish visa. He has to stay in the UK or Ireland for another couple of years to become a qualified actuary, and I don't have the money to move over yet.
4. Where do each of you live?
I live in Ontario, Canada, he lives in Dublin, Ireland
5. How often do you get to visit?
About once every 3-4 months, fortunately.
6. Do you like where your SO lives?
LOVE it. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could.
7. Best part about being in a LDR?
Getting to feel the excitement of seeing him again.
8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR?
Saying goodbye. I didn't know how I could do that yesterday... it's the worst part.
9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR?
I wish I'd known how much it'd make me worry and feel jealous. Loic and I didn't discuss being exclusive for the first 4 months LD, and I used to panic every time he went out or mentioned a female friend. Turns out I didn't have anything to worry about, lol.
10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR?
Take it a day at a time. Some days will be good and some bad, but in the end you just have to know it's worth it!!

[Neme]

1. Date relationship began? March 2011 as friends.

2. Date relationship became LDR? 4/5/2011.

3. Why are you LD? We are 9,518 miles apart.

4. Where do each of you live? I live in the U.S and he lives in New Zealand.

5. How often do you get to visit? We have not yet met, but are planning to meet in 2011.

6. Do you like where your SO lives? I have seen pictures and it's a beautiful country!

7. Best part about being in a LDR? Learning to be patient and wait for him. I'm such an impatient person. Trusting him completely.

8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR? How little things can be misinterpreted through text, not being able to touch him, cuddle, hold hands.

9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR? How hard it is. I thought I knew...I had no idea.

10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR? Pretty much what others have said. Communication, patience, compromising, trust.

[Jezah]

1. Date relationship began?
May 11th 2011

2. Date relationship became LDR?
May 11th 2011

3. Why are you LD?
As HBB said, we met online through mutual friends. He was the hot unattainable Brit everyone talked to, and I was curious to talk to him. The rest as they say, is history.

4. Where do each of you live?
Manchester, NH to York, UK

5. How often do you get to visit?
Not yet! We were planning Sept but now it may be closer to middle of Oct, but it will mean he stays longer so its worth it!

6. Do you like where your SO lives?
I love it! England has always been a fantasy place to live for me. I grew up addicted to BBC shows and Jane Austin books/movies so it all seems so romantic to me. Plus I am a huge history buff when it come to tangible history, and lots of the places in England are older than sin...soooo

7. Best part about being in a LDR?
Hmm, like HBB said, but on my end. Getting all the sweet things he does for me, the songs dedicated to me, pictures ect. Also, it gives me the reassurance that this relationship is more than physical since it has never BEEN physical. He fell in love with my personality.

8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR?
Lots >.< but I would say the time difference is one of the harder things. That and not being able to have him here when I need him, like yesterday when I got heat stroke and was barely able to move...I wished he could have been here.

9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR?
How much it was going to come to mean to me. I kinda figured it would be no big deal, and hadn't realized it would become this huge part of my life. Not that it would have changed anything, it just would have helped to be prepared

10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR?
If both of you have iPhone's, Blackberries or Android phones, there are plenty of apps out there that let you call/text internationally for free [using your internet data allowance instead] It almost makes the relationship seem "normal" when you're on the phone to each other instead of on the other side of the computer screen. <<< Literally what he said

[jenny_ell]

1. Date relationship began? July 2010
2. Date relationship became LDR? Oct 2010
3. Why are you LD? I met him when I was on holiday in London.
4. Where do each of you live? I live in Detroit, Michigan, USA and he lives in Oxford, England
5. How often do you get to visit? for 10-16 days every 2.5-3 months usually
6. Do you like where your SO lives? I LOVE ENGLAND <3 and most likely will be moving there!
7. Best part about being in a LDR? I guess the best thing is when I come home from visiting him and I get to gush about my charming british boyfriend to all my coworkers, family, and friends. They always ask about us and I love that so many people care about our situation/realtionshilp and are trying to support us through this attempt to close the distance.
8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR? Immigration laws. We are trying to close the distance. Before I started researching visas I was pretty delusional and thought I could easily find a loophole or a way to move to the UK. Not that easy, at all! There's no exceptions for anyone or anything and the only way to move to England is for school, work, or marriage. It's really frustrating that you have to basically "prove" yourself and your relationship to immigration officers who ultimatley have the final say in your visa. It's upsetting because we feel we have suffered enough to be able to finally be together, but this isn't a contest. Nobody owes us anything, and we have to follow the immigration rules like everyone else.
9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR? I wish I knew how serious you have to be about closing the distance. Not that it would have changed my choice to be in a LDR, but it took me almost a year to realize I have to get serious or I will sit here crying about my LDR for the rest of my life.
10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR? DON'T wait too long to have the "closing the distance talk". For one, it will help you figure out where you stand as a couple and if the relationship is going to work because you eventually have to close the distance or it won't work. More importantly for international LDR's- it's better to start trying to figure things out when you KNOW you want to be together for a long time/forever. With researching visas, applying for visas, waiting for visas- a lot of time will be spent just waiting to be ALLOWED to close the distance. Have a few different "plans" for moving situations so if one doesn't work, you can try the other.

[Elvis_Rocks]

1. Date relationship began?
I found him online on December 14, 2009.
First time we met in person was January 2011.
We have been a couple since February/March 2011.

2. Date relationship became LDR?
See above (#1)

3. Why are you LD?
We live in different states

4. Where do each of you live?
Me: Missouri
Him: Michigan

5. How often do you get to visit?
We finally met in person January of 2011 and so far we have seen each other every month.

6. Do you like where your SO lives?
Oh my gosh yeah!! It is picture perfect!!

7. Best part about being in a LDR?
The sweet emails he sends me every morning before school.
The time you get to spend in person with your love is more valuable since you don't get to see them everyday.
"The longer the waiting the sweeter the kiss"

8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR?
Having to leave each other and not seeing him all the time.
Awkward silence on the phone because in person silence is ok.

9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR?
How much it hurts to see him leave or when I leave.


10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR?
Be patient and don't take anything for granted
"Absense makes the heart grow fonder"

[heylittlekrissy]

Guess this would be as good a place as any for my first post on the site lol
1. Date relationship began? Unofficially, mid-2010; Officially, March 30th, 2011
2. Date relationship became LDR? Same dates
3. Why are you LD? We met online (thank you xbox!) and basically live across the USA from each other
4. Where do each of you live? I'm from Florida and he's from Wisconsin
5. How often do you get to visit? So far, not at all. Neither of us has the resources to do so yet, but we're working on it!
6. Do you like where your SO lives? I've never been there, and in respect to our relationship, no because I'd rather he be here :P
7. Best part about being in a LDR? I'm in love with this boy, and if I wasn't willing to be in a LDR, I wouldn't be able to call him mine <3
8. Most frustrating part about being in a LDR? The distance, I HATE IT! lol
9. Something you wish you knew before going into a LDR? More about relationships in general lol this is my first official one!
10. One piece of advice for those in a LDR? Be patient. Things are going to be hard, but if you're willing to really work at it, it is worth it!