Can love go the distance?

If you’ve moved to Dubai without your partner, or he’s regularly away on business, you may have to resign yourself to a long distance love affair. And whilst Jane Austen’s book characters made such dalliances look romantic and exciting, the reality can be a harder pill to swallow. If you’re going to give a long distance relationship a shot, we’ve got some tips on how to make things easier.

1. Phone calls
If you’re dating a man who’s allergic to phone calls, it may be a problem. Couples need to chat regularly on the phone to hear each other’s voice and stay connected. Whilst at home you may spend most of your time chatting about the mundane stuff, when you’re apart it’s more important to discuss how you feel. If he’s not there to give you a cuddle after a bad day at work, don’t bottle it up. You’ll still both want to feel needed by your partner, even if you’re on the other side of the world.
2. Technology
From Skype to Facebook, there’s plenty of ways to stay in touch when you’re apart. Utilising these tools is a great way to stay connected but make sure you mix it up. If you start to rely on MSN messenger for every conversation you’ll end up going round in circles.

3. Love letters
Yes it’s old fashioned. Right now you’re probably scratching your head and wondering why on earth you’d waste your time on a handwritten letter when there’s so many quicker forms of communication. Whilst getting emails from your partner is great, nothing beats the warm fuzzy feeling that accompanies a traditional letter. It shows your willing to take that little bit of extra time to make your loved one smile.

4. Trust
You need trust to make any relationship work but when you’re separated by an ocean or two it becomes even more important. Before you embark on a long term romance be aware that lots of people find it difficult to stay faithful when kept apart for long periods of time. You really need to be in it for the long haul if you’re going to give it a go.
5. Do things together
Just because you won’t be physically together, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carry on doing the same things. Whether it’s going to see a French movie or taking up a new sport, common interests will help spark conversations and bring you closer together when you’re miles apart.

6. Visit each other often
Ideally you need to see each other as often as feasibly possible. Whether it’s once a month or once every six months you need to make these reunions as special as possible. Although regular meet ups require thought and imagination, don’t neglect the rest of your activities for these stolen weekends. If things do go wrong you’ll need to throw yourself back into your own life