Tuesday 21 April 2009

Online friendships... real or not?

Many people just don't realise that true online friends are real people (friends) too!

I belong to an international travel club and we have meets all the time - in 2006 I organised a party (hired out a restaurant in London!) for 88.5 (there was a baby) people from all over the world, many I had never met in real life, only online, many I knew already... my family thought me daft at the time (maybe I was... logistics were a nightmare!)... but have come to see that some pals I made from the travel club are some of my closest pals in real, life.. it was merely a place we met (online).

My brother met his wife online... they've been married 6 years, have 2 kids... not a dating site, was on a religious debate site and her mum was the moderator (in the States), and she told her daughter about this lovely South African lad who comes online sometimes... so that's how they 'met'. They chatted on the phone for about a year and then he flew to the USA for a month, and, 12 days after meeting her, proposed... and that was that!

What has your experience been? Do you have online friends that have become 'real life' friends too?

6 comments:

  1. Yes, many of my bloggy friends have become friends. They are truly concerned about me and I them. That being said: Did you get your certificate to teach? How are things?

    There is an updated prayer request on my blog about a little boy in Landrum SC who I feel has endured abusive punishment. You can read all three short articles to catch up if you have not seen them. Please pray for this child and his family.
    GOD BLESS, andrea

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  2. I have made lots of friends online. Recently through blogging but several years ago I joined a group of women on Ebay and we have been together for probably 5 years now. I've actually met several in real life too!

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  3. Yes Andrea, online pals are amazing, just as good as real life at times... except real hugs are so much better than virtual hugs :)

    I will pray for that little boy, thanks for telling me about him!

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  4. Banteringblonde, isn't it great!!!??? And when you do finally meet your online friend, it's like you've met before... seems weird but true. Like coming home sometimes.

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  5. Yes, I do; I have come to know several people whom I've only met online, and whom I consider pretty close friends. The one frustration, even with Skype's computer-to-computer videophone, is being unable to share coffee, tea, & other things together. I find myself wanting to reach through the screen and take a bite, or pour them some coffee or English Breakfast Tea (the only kind I drink, other than Japanese green tea), offer a biscuit (or two or three), and give and receive hugs. Other than that, my experience is that online friendships grow as people share with each other, just like in "real life".

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  6. Beautifully put George, and I agree! I also find that people share more online than in real life, initially.

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