Meeting online friends
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
July 14, 2010 2:40pm CST
Some time ago one of my friends decided to meet an online friend that she had known for a long time. They had exchanged many long emails and they had chatted on messenger, but they had never met eachother.
Her online friend lived in another part of the country. My friend asked her if she wanted to spend the weekend at her place, and her online friend accepted the invitation. Unfortunately the meeting didn't go the way that my friend expected, because they didn't get along at all, and they had nothing to talk about. It was a very, very long weekend, and most of the time they just watched tv and they hardly talked to eachother.
I have met several online friends myself, but I have never had that kind of experience. My experiences have been positive, and I have met a lot of nice people that I still keep in touch with. Some of the people I have met have been different from my expectations, but not in a negative way and I have been able to talk to all of them and have a nice time with them.
Have you ever met any of your online friends? Was it a positive or a negative experience? Were your online friends different from your expectations?
17 responses
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
14 Jul 10
I think if I was meeting someone online in real life I would prefer to have them stay in a motel rather then in my home. I'm just that way. Talking to someone online and talking to someone in real life are so different that sometimes they don't work out. Personally, I don't meet online ppl...I'm just too cautious to do it. That being said I did meet my Hubby online so go figure.
[b]**AT PEACE WITHIN** 
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
I probably wouldn't let an online friend stay in my home either. If we had never met before I think it would be better if they stay at a hotel or something like that. Acttually I would prefer a short meeting (one day instead of 3 days) when we meet for the first time. The friend I wrote about is afraid that the same thing will happen again, and now she always arranges a short meeting at first (like a few hours or half a day). I think that is a good idea, because we don't know how the first meeting is going to turn out.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
I am worried about safety, too. I have found some close friends online and I am happy that I decided to meet them in real life, but I usually meet online friends at a public place at first. Your are right, it is very easy to hide online and you can pretend that you are someone else, so we have to be careful if/when we decide to meet in real life.
@snowy22315 (179765)
• United States
14 Jul 10
I am currently living with a friend I met online. We formed a very strong connection online and have lasted through some turbulent times. I met someone else from online one time and it was OK. Most people I talk to though dont live anywhere near me.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
14 Jul 10
I think it is great that you have found such a close friendship online. I haven't lived with my online friends, but two of them have become very close friends, and we have known eachother for several years. Many of my online friends live in other parts of the world and I know that I won't be able to meet all of them, but I still enjoy talking to them online.
@soulsshine (488)
• Bangladesh
15 Jul 10
wow thats very interesting.lucky you are that you have got such a nice friends over online.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
15 Jul 10
There’s a plan but I am still looking forward for the time that this will happen. I think it’s not healthy to have those expectations as it will just frustrate both of you. Maybe I’ll just enjoy the company of my Mylot friends and be thankful for the chance of meeting them personally. I hope the plan to meet some of my Mylot friends in Cebu and in the US will come true soon!
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
That sounds like a great plan. I hope that you will manage to meet your MyLot friends 
Some of my MyLot friends have invited me to China. I would love to go there one day. Right now I can't afford to go to Asia, but I hope that it will be possible one day in the future.
Some of my MyLot friends have invited me to China. I would love to go there one day. Right now I can't afford to go to Asia, but I hope that it will be possible one day in the future.
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
15 Jul 10
I've met quite a few of my online friends, about 40 I guess. Some of them were different from what I expected, a few negative but mostly positive and some were very much alike their online personalities. I've had 4 come to visit me in Norway, and this autumn the "travelling club" is coming. We're 5-8 people that have met up in UK several times, now we haven't seen eachother all at once for some years as one of us has been working in another continent, so now it's time for a new get-together at my place.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
Wow, 40 people that is a lot. I haven't met that many online friends yet. Your "travelling club" sounds like a great idea. How long have you known eachother? Some of my friends from other countries have visited me in Denmark, and I have also visited some of them in their countries, but unfortuneately I have lost touch with some of them.
@romartinez03 (94)
• Philippines
15 Jul 10
I think its because they just started building their friendship online. And there are times that it won't be the same when you are withe the person personally. Maybe they were just a bit shy at that time.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
My friend is quite shy, so that could be the reason. My friend was a very disappointed after the meeting, and her and her online friends never became friends again, they stopped their emails, chat etc efter their meeting, so they never got the chance to get to know eachother better.
@miacici (2)
•
15 Jul 10
I have met 2 online friends. Unfortunately, neither of them was positive experience. It made me feel afraid of meeting online friends. Maybe it is different what you behave between virtual and reality...I met one guy, he was nice online but too arrogant in reality, I couldn't endure that...
1 person likes this
@vulgarlittleprincess (919)
• Canada
15 Jul 10
In the 11th grade my online boyfriend flew to my province to visit me. It went really well, despite my parents completley going mental. I didn't tell them they only found out what was going on when his mother called to find out where he was. oops. Mom called Parents Helpline to "figure out what to do with me" they told her she had no choice but to accept the fact tht we were together, cause I would go behind her back and continue seeing him if she forbid me from ever being with him. they were right.
We stayed together for a year, he was my first love and the man I loved more than anyone else. I didn't go litely into the experience, we talked on the phone, on webcam and msn. I talked to his brother on msn too.
I have never met any online friends. I would like to though. Some of them are the closest friends I have.
1 person likes this
@teenymarie (107)
• United States
15 Jul 10
I haven't met any of my online friends YET but I have plans to meet with one for part of our vacation next year. We met on a parenting board, and she just met one of our other friends last week. On a side note, one of my good friends is marrying a guy that she met online 9 years ago when we were in high school.
1 person likes this
@warvial (1146)
• Singapore
15 Jul 10
Last year, I met up with my online friends whom we have same interest in. When we met, it's was pretty awkward too because of our age gap and also we didn't really know what to talk about after our common topic runs out.
And when I was back at home on my MSN, we were once again chatting. I am not sure why this happens because I wasn't having any expectation from our face to face meeting and I don't think our face to face meeting was a negative one but things were simply too "dry" for us to appreciate each other more than online conversation.
1 person likes this
@qianyun6 (2067)
• China
15 Jul 10
I haven't tried meeting a online friend. What I did is joining my friends in real world online. I was a moderator of several forums, we had our moderators' groups in QQ (a Chinese online chatting software like MSN). There was really some net friends party invitation. But unfortunately where I'm living is too outlying, so I never joined.
1 person likes this
@soulsshine (488)
• Bangladesh
15 Jul 10
I have lots of good online friends and most of then are from different country so I actually didn't get any chance to meet them but I think it'll be a nice experience for me as we are really good friends. It feels like we know each others from our childhood and there's no barriers between our cultures. I think we know each other more than my real school friends thats the nice part of online friendship I guess. You never feel hesitation what you are talking about, no one gonna yell you for that. I always want to meet my dear friends and hope one day God will give us the chance. I'm always positive for this and I hope everything will be fine and as usual like now.
1 person likes this
@sindy2408 (4)
•
15 Jul 10
I met only two online friends. Luckily we have been friends in actual life and been in touch with each other through emails and phones. Also I feel great thanks for my online friends who i haven't been in the chance of meeting face to face.They have been standing by me and giving me courage and confidence to win the battle against the most serous disease in my life. Though no seeing each other, we often make calls and send messages, just like good friends. Some of them have been inviting me to go visiting and one wants me to be there and share his happiness when he is engaged. Online friends, met or unmet, can be a great treasure in your life. Just treat each other with sincere
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
Welcome to MyLot, sindy 2408!
It is great to hear that your online friends have been able to support you and stand by you during a difficult time in your life. I also have to close online friends who have supported me and helped me when I was going through a rough time in my life. Some of them I have been in touch with for several years. I agree with you, online friends can be a great treasure.
It is great to hear that your online friends have been able to support you and stand by you during a difficult time in your life. I also have to close online friends who have supported me and helped me when I was going through a rough time in my life. Some of them I have been in touch with for several years. I agree with you, online friends can be a great treasure. @Brav1White (37)
•
15 Jul 10
To be honest,i havent meet my online friends,even one. Not for i am afraid of meeting them that will destroy their positive impression in my head,just for i dont wanna break the connection among us,its some kinda bridge between our minds.i could say some views or news online,even the secrets i never told anyone around me.you know sometime there are things you can't tell anybody when you grown up. I realy treasure this friendship
1 person likes this
@david75 (11)
• United States
14 Jul 10
will i tryed that before but it was not go as plan because the girl was cazy nut
she all ways wanted things her self you know so online dating is hard because you really dont klnow whats going to happen so i never meet any friends who say that had a online resationship
before you know what i 'am mean babe girl so guess for all the peole out their that what to date do tell that person to much information
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Jul 10
Hi david75 and welcome to MyLot!
It is true, you never know how online dating is going to turn out. When I have met online friends the meetings have been positive, but my experience with online dating has not always been positive. so I know what you mean. I met my husband online, but before that I went on some dates that didn't turn out that well. One of the guys I met was violent and he showed up drunk...
@cbjones (1147)
• United States
14 Jul 10
Never had a chance to meet any of the people I became friends with while playing the online game Phantasy Star Online. Unfortunate, because I had a lot of fun adventures with those people, and would have loved to meet up with them face to face.
1 person likes this
@gunjandubey (512)
• India
14 Jul 10
Yes once i did it.There was a girl who was my friend for a long time.She was from the same city that i was and i was eager to meet her.When she agreed to meet me i called her to a shopping mall.When i met her i realized that whatever i thought about her was not correct.She was very different from the way the thought she would have been.So this friendship of mine was my most serious online friendship and as you know it did not worked out for me.........
@a7x4life (2)
• United States
14 Jul 10
I think it's great meeting online friends but I find there are three things that could happen..:
1. They are the exact opposite of what you thought they'd be
2. They are exactly how you thought they'd be.
3. They gave you more then you expected within themselves.
1 person likes this
