Online Relationships, what do we think guys?

First off, if your feelings are real or not, you can only feel that to yourself.. nobody can decide the validity of your feelings. And by the sound of it, they are very real - else you probably wouldn't have taken the time to write this thread :)

These thing can definitely work, just as someone would (as you say) meet in a cafe, on a dating site, in school/work or at an event. It is just a question of taking precautions... that you have been on cam with him, is a positive sign. Be cautious still though. It is difficult, but try not to fall too much head over heals with him while you have not met him yet. Because you might be setting up a picture in your mind about him, that could potentially be completely shot down when you meet. So keep an open mind until you meet him.

If you both are serious about dating and perhaps becoming more than friends, i would recommend you meet as soon as possible, and not drag it out, for the same reasons.. the longer time you chat online, the longer you are able to create a picture of him that might be completely off from real life. So set up a meeting whenever you can.

But i would really not recommend you going on a road trip on your first meeting.. you wouldn't just jump on a road trip with a guy you only just met in a coffee shop either right? It is good that your friend will know where you are and that you have a password, but that being said it might not be enough for a first time meeting. That she knows your location, doesn't mean she knows what is going on, if you two for example were alone... and if he weren't who he said he were, who knows if you would have time to alert her. On a first meeting i would recommend you being in public places, and if at home - then perhaps invite a bunch of friends over, it would give you a chance to see how he interacts with those around you as well. It does not mean you can't be alone and talk, you could go to dinner or a number of things alone, but where there still are people around. Being at home alone with him, might be too much of a gamble.

You feel like you know him and can trust to an extent probably, and you might be right - it might be what it seems to be. But take it from someone who has seen both the bright and bad of these things.. it is very important to take the initial precautions. If he is the right guy for you, i am sure he would want to move in a pace that would make you feel comfortable. And hopefully respect you for someone who knows how to protect yourself.

Those are just my 2 cents though.

I met my girlfriend online, over tumblr. I trusted that she was who she said she was, and I skyped her every so often, so I knew she was honest about who she was. Two months after talking, we started our relationship, and we were completely honest with each other about everything. I saved up to visit her, and 15 months later, I flew to another continent from my own. We're still together, but the distance is something that is difficult to fight.Anyway, my point is that Online relationships do happen, they work out in the end, some do not. Mine happens to be in the process of working.On to your situation: as the others have said, only you can figure out if your feelings are real. It's up to you two if you want to meet, but before then, you HAVE to be completely honest with each other about where you want the friendship/relationship to go.When you meet him, meet him in a public place. Bring a friend who knows the situation, and if he turns out to be somebody you can't trust, you have that protection. So many couples start out online, but there is some caution you have to take.With me, I had 17 months to learn who my girlfriend was, and to develop our emotional connection and chemistry. A good thing I did was skype with her mother and her friends, and that solidified the reality in my relationship - that everything was honest and true. When we met, her mother and one of her friends was there, so I was safe in that respect.There really isn't anything wrong with meeting online, but you have to take caution, and know that it isn't easy. No relationship that's worth it is easy!

Self doubt can be a good thing, this is a difficult situation. People can hide a lot when the interact on the internet, and two months isn't a very long time. It's completely possible that you could have developed legitimate feelings in this time, but it's difficult to trust those feelings until you get a complete picture of who he is. You need to see someone at their worst before you have an accurate assessment of their true personality. It would help to see him in person, but I think you should hold off on that as long as possible. 2 months is not a long time for someone to decide to meet up. (At least for me). Especially to suggest taking a road trip? I think that's the most concerning part about all of the details. Why can't he just stay in town with you? I don't know, but meeting a man online, 2 months later he wants to take you on a road trip? Take you away from your home, where there's a potential you'll be all alone out in the middle of nowhere? What if you didn't get along for some reason, or got into a fight and had no way to get home? Of course he could be completely safe, but it's a big risk to take until you get to know him completely. I would give it some more time, getting to know him. When you do choose to meet him, let him come to you, to a public safe place. So you can get a really good idea of who he is in a safe way. If he's really legit, then it shouldn't matter where he gets to know you, so long as he just gets to see you. Good luck!

Meeting someone online is always riskier, in my opinion. It's not the same as actually knowing someone. You don't observe them outside of the internet. There could be a lot about this guy that you don't know. Also, keep in mind, people can say anything they want to on the internet and you have no way of knowing whether or not it's true. Feelings are a good thing, and they can often be a warning sign, but don't trust your feelings indefinitely. Sometimes they lead you astray. It's okay to have feelings for him, but don't get carried away by your feelings before you actually know the person.

I'm not saying he isn't a genuinely decent guy, but you need to be careful about meeting people, especially on the internet. Some great relationships have started through the internet, but some really terrible things have also started that way.

I would certainly recommend you not go on a road trip with him first thing. Feeling that you can trust him is great, but he needs to prove he's trustworthy before you jump in a car with him. Going on a road trip is not something you should do with anyone you just met on the internet or otherwise. That comes after you've been friends for a while and are certain that you can trust each other.

Just make sure you take notice of anything that might be out of the ordinary. In my opinion, two months is not a very long time to have known each other only through internet. He's ready to fly to another continent to meet you after only two months and the first thing he suggests is a road trip? I, of course, don't know anything other than what's in your post, but that just seems a little strange to me. Even if he is a trustworthy person, he shouldn't suggest something like a road trip first thing when there are several other things you guys can do.

I think it's fine to meet him, but maybe don't meet him for the first time alone. You might take a friend with you the first couple of times you see him. He is probably a great guy and I'm sure everything will be fine, but you still want to take precautions. It's just a wise thing to do when you are going to be meeting someone for the first time that you have only spoken to through internet communication.

Honestly I've never understood online dating. It could be very risky meeting someone online. Also you need to think rationally, would this long distance relationship work out? If you really want to meet him then make sure to get a lot of info about him. Be careful