does long distance relationship work?(cross continental distance)

well.... thats too long, 5 years... but as i know from many case, and also me too, but i'm still new... i'm in indonesia and my bf in california, sometimes long distant relationship need a big trust, and understanding each other.... and always have contact, can by sms, call, email or chat online... and my friend more than 2 years, she is in indonesia, and her bf in germany... and i see their relationship works... meet 2 times a year... so maybe there is need trust...:)

Long-distance relationships are too difficult to handle. So in most cases, I feel to discourage the continuance of the relationship. But in your friend's case, they are married. Thus, they are committed to love and trust each other. Please remind him such. His wife needs more support since she's the one away from home working.

It sounds with the lack of communication there is not much hope. My first husband and I were separated before getting engaged and with phone calls (big phone bill) and letters we kept constantly in touch and eventually it led to marriage. I'm sorry for your friend but he needs to move on and try and to forget...What is meant to be will be. What is not will not.

i've been in a long distance for almost 4 years.. It really depends on how both will carry this kind of relationship. TRUST and UNDERSTANDING is what really important to make the relationship lasts.Communication is a must.my bf is studying in Manila while I'm studying in Lipa way back and now we both have our own job we still find time to see each other and still communication is intact. I admit we fight more often but still we make effort to fixed the problem... tell your friend that her Gf is really busy from her work. I know it's hard to believe if they have problem of their own.. never loose trust from her gf... what's the best way to find it out is talk to her and clarify if she still in love with your friend... it's better to know the girl's situation there. overseas life is very hard... tell him to support his gf...maybe there's something wrong with her.

hey!! don't woorry..... i too have a similar problem, i live in nepal and my girlfriend is going US for about 8years minimum..... now its really hard but until i have faith in her and she has on me no matter how long the communication gap is we will have hope.... and hope keeps chances alive..... tell your friend all positive things,, tell him true love never doubts can is ready to give proof any time and any way .. so tell him this is the proof he has to give by waiting for her..... peace on..... best wishes to your friend.....

I can speak from experience on this- my fiance and I have been conducting a long-distance relationship for the past 4 1/2 years and it is not easy. We will have to endure another 1 1/2 year separation before we can finally be together for good. Despite our predicament, we both consider our relationship extremely healthy and strong. We get to see each other on average 2-3 times per year. The best advice I can give is NEVER stop communicating!!! That is the key- when one person feels down for whatever reason he/she must talk about it with the other. Find ways to talk- online, via phone, whatever. There will be challenges, no doubt, but if the love is strong and the couple is determined, the relationship CAN survive.

It's a matter of patience and trust, if you compromise with each other then be patient enough. I know communication is very important, you really have to understand like how to live in US. Everybody is busy with their jobs. One should give way to another.

My girlfriends's sister, her boyfriend is in Greece and she lives in Canada. They have been seeing each other it'd been 2 years now. She went to Greece three days ago to go see him. She goes to see him every Christmas and summer. He can't really come toCanada, because he is busy studying in some medical school. Their relationship is going great and he told her over the phone that he wants her to be his wife.

hmm.. with your friend's situation, i guess he should follow her girl to the US i mean, long distance love affair can really work if they have constant communication, but with his situation, i dont think there is, he really must be in trouble, your friend must talk to his girl if its really working between the two of them.. communication is really very essential to long distance love affair.

There is a big communication gap in cross continental relationship and in some cases there is a vast cultural difference. If one has to cope with these relations, they have to develop good patience and an attitude to listen and understand.

I have 10 weeks seperated from my husband to be but two years is wow, I'm really surprised that they managed to keep it that long. Maybe she could visit him. It might re-kindle their life. And tell your friend not to assume the worst, maybe she's doing extra work to earn extra money for them as a couple.

it depends on the trust level that the couple have for each other. long distance relationships works only when the trust is in its full swing n a deeep love is existing between the couple.

It think it is perhaps more difficult to make a long distance relationship work if you have spent some years together, and then suddenly have to be apart for several years. It seems like many relationships like this fall apart because you simply "get used to" the other person no longer being there. It takes a lot of active participation-- maybe handwritten letters, sending presents to each other, videophones, etc. to keep the relationship alive. It is perhaps different if you have a long distance relationship with someone you met through the internet and perhaps have only seen once or twice. Then the relationship already "knows" how to exist in virtual space, and I have known people who have keep something like that going for 4-5 years before they could finally move together.

i don't have any interest in online friend!and if my friends goto abroad,surely i miss them(some of my old friends go abroad for their further studies,but keep contacts with them through internet.thanks to orkut and yahoo messenger!)actually log distance friendship will be more sharp(i cant express the exact word,that is the my only problem with mylot.sometimes i cant express the right feeling through English).

I believe a couple have to have total trust and communication. I believe both parties have to work on it together. I've tried just long distance being a state over. Due to our jobs i only saw him twice a month. The relationship didn't last because I could not trust him from various actions...Yes, He became a little stray guy who was not so honest. Besides just that, I personally enjoy b eing able to call my love one and we meet, or if I'm having troubles or things on my mind, I would want him to be right there with me not talking on the phone or on the computer...But I wish your friend good luck, they both have to have a open line of communication and more importantly trust....

I think as the distance increases, the stonger the relations become. Everyone has its career n we should give prority to others also.

Communication is what that maintain any relation. Lack of communication can kill relation doesnt matter how much it was strong.

if they really love each other no matter what happen, how matter far and where ever they might be love will keep them intact. maybe their both busy for the opportunity that they have try to tell them to slow down a little.

well i suppose it could work if both partners are commited and never give up. After time they could go and see each other if they are mature enough and of course if they also have the money. I had a long distance relationship but it faded after time as the girl i liked gave up. lol. oh well she loses.

My first girlfriend is from Vancouver,Canada and i'm here in the philippines.we never had any problems during our first 6 months of relationship,but after that when begun to have problems like somebody else is courting her, i'm so disappointed about it and decided to let her go.if your friend really loves her they should talk about it and try to patch things up,5 years is a achievement thou. regards to your friend and i hope for the best:)