Can International Dating Really Work?

While most people are familiar enough with the concept of long-distance relationships, they may not readily think of international relationships right off the bat! Long-distance relationships have become incredibly common in today’s society, and while they may not come to mind right away, many of these are international.

Language and cultural barriers are no match for love – and with the prevalence of online dating platforms as the most common and popularly used way to meet a significant other, national boundaries are no longer relevant to romance!

So what is international dating defined as, exactly? Tons of people have found mutually beneficial relationships online that happen to be long-distance.

That means that while the partners may visit each other and/or have future plans to live in the same location, they live apart at a distance where it’s not possible to see each other in person regularly. Long-distance relationships don’t actually require ever seeing each other in person!

Romantic connections can be fostered and maintained without any personal contact, especially since the rise of video dating has hit modern society. 

People from different countries are looking at a wealth of factors that people from the same country never have to consider.

For instance, something like the news or current politics may be a given to people who have the same information sources from the same country. These differences can lead to misunderstandings and hurdles that other couples never experience. 

But overcoming these unique hurdles can lead to even more enriching relationships in the long run! People with partners in different nations have to take extra time to understand their partner’s experiences.

This attentiveness isn’t just flattering – it can become a foundation for an exceptionally beneficial relationship that’s unparalleled by other typical, common types of relationships between people in close proximities.

But even though it can be so extraordinary, many people may wonder if international dating is even feasible. It’s not crazy to wonder if being with someone who’s incredibly far away and has different cultural customs will be too difficult to manage. At the end of the day, can international dating really work?

Despite the complications and difficulties, can international dating lead to something stable that a future or a family can be built upon? Should marriage-minded singles even consider being in a relationship with someone that’s so far away and with someone that it will take so many hurdles to breach to be able to find common ground with? 

Let’s take a look at some of the most important factors when it comes to whether or not international dating can truly work.

Being Closer Isn’t Necessarily Better for a Relationship

When you’re dating someone either online or in person, being closer to them isn’t necessarily always better. When you’re in direct proximity to someone you’re dating, there’s a ton of pressure that can come with that circumstance.

You may constantly be considering whether or not that person wants to spend time with you, whether you’re making enough time to spend with them in person, or whether they’re expecting you to allot a certain amount of time to spend in their physical presence.

When you’re further away, there’s genuinely no issue at hand as far as those concerns go. Instead of worrying about whether the person you’re dating expects you to take them out after work, you can simply go home and worry about communicating with your international love interest per their schedule. And their time zone, of course!

Also, if you’re dating someone who’s in very close proximity to where you live or work, then you have to think about running into them regularly, especially if things don’t work out in the end!

This is especially true if you live in a small village or in a location where there’s only one good grocery store, gym, or mall (etc.). Oh, you don’t want to have to go and drive an hour to get groceries without running into your ex, now do you?

If that’s something that you’re perfectly OK with, feel free to date a coworker, a neighbor, or a family friend. And that’s perfectly fine for many people willing to take that chance on love!

But for some people, the safer and more convenient choice would be to be with someone who lives in a country that they admire and who they know that if things don’t work out at the end of the day, they won’t be running into them on a regular basis.

And they won’t have to change fundamental aspects of their lifestyle to accommodate any differences that may result from an inconvenient or unsettling breakup.

Not to mention dating someone close to you may make you find yourself in a comfortable rut. You may not be in a perfect relationship, but if it’s convenient enough, you might want to stick with it. If you’ve got a good thing that isn’t necessarily a great thing, it might not matter to you so much that you’re not getting the high-quality caliber of relationship you really deserve.

You’ll be far less likely to strive for a better relationship or leave a comfortable relationship that’s not really good enough for you if the person is conveniently close by. When you’re in an international relationship, you know that both you and your partner are invested in each other not because of convenience but because it’s simply better to be together! You know that you’re bringing value to each other ‘s lives in a way that someone across the street never could. 

Your Perfect Match Is Worth Weathering the Distance

Branching off of our last point, when you’re in an international dating relationship, you’re not in it for any reason other than the fact that the person you’re speaking to is extraordinary!

Unless you’re a scammer or a catfish, and we certainly hope that you aren’t, the only reason you would be invested in international dating is that you find value in the person you’re speaking to that is worth overcoming the obstacles of time differences and spatial burdens.

Instead of worrying about how someone can benefit your life due to factors like convenience and immediate gratification, you’re bound to be far more concerned with the mental, social, and emotional value that your partner is bringing to the table.

So you know that if you’re in an international dating relationship, you’re there for the qualities that only that person can provide for you, and not what the run-of-the-mill match could ever possibly offer for you in a relationship. 

There’s also the factor of suspense. When you’re traveling to a different nation to meet the partner that you’ve successfully built a meaningful connection with due to time, effort, and intoxicating conversation, the anticipation will inevitably build up.

That suspense and feeling of uncertainty will continue to build until that glorious moment when you finally meet the romantic partner of your dreams! When you finally see your perfect match, all of that built-up anticipation will potentially create one of the most exhilarating moments of your life.

Meeting your perfect international match is undoubtedly worth weathering the distance in the long run.

Building a Strong International Dating Relationship Is Easier than It May Seem

The concept of building a solid international dating relationship over an online dating platform can seem incredibly daunting to the average dater. And understandably so!

As we’ve stated, there are plenty of hurdles and burdens that the average couple doesn’t experience that an international couple will inevitably encounter. Yet, building this type of relationship isn’t as difficult as one may initially expect. If you stay on top of some key activities, you can create an unshakable foundation for an unbeatable international dating relationship!

So what are these measures that you can take to ensure your international relationship gets built correctly? There are a few factors that, if you keep them in mind, will serve you well in the long run.

Video Chatting

The implementation of video chatting into the online dating world has taken international connections to the next level. By utilizing the technology that online dating platforms now have in place, you’ll be able to experience the body language of your partner, allowing you to connect on a deeper level and in a quicker and more beneficial fashion.

Body language actually accounts for most human communication. While vocal tonality says more than your words alone, the physical movements you make account for approximately 90% of what you’re actually saying! So video chatting is more critical than you may think!

There’s a reason why texting someone or talking on the phone with them is different than being with them in person. And that reason is body language. While you may not be able to see the entire body of the match you’re talking to over a video chat, it’s a lot more effective for your conversation than not being able to see their bodily movements at all!

So, if you’re unable to do anything else, make sure to video chat with your international partner as often as you possibly can. It can make the difference between understanding your partner on a base level and understanding them on a deeper level.

If you really want to get to know each other and have a thorough understanding of who you both are underneath your words, video chat dating is a must!

Sharing Pictures

The next thing you can do is share pictures with each other daily. While social media platforms allow people to share bits and pieces of their day with a broader audience, you can share more personal and intimate moments of your life with the person you’re talking to.

When you share pictures of you spending time with your loved ones or enjoying an experience that’s too personal for the public to see, you’ll be building an intimate connection with your international partner. Sharing pictures with your partner is one of the best ways to stay relevant and exciting in their eyes.

Not to mention, when you’re in constant communication with your partner, you can foster a more effective relationship and a stronger connection. And, while texts are a great way to stay in contact with each other, a picture is worth 1000 words!

So, take advantage of the fact that we have the technology to share photos with each other regularly and share special pictures with your special someone throughout the day.

Sharing Feelings

While sharing your lives with each other through the experiences of video chatting and sharing pictures, it’s great; if things stay on a superficial level, it’s not necessarily going to help your relationship grow. Make sure to maintain and foster a beneficial emotional connection that grows over time by sharing your feelings with your international partner.

This doesn’t mean that you have to share every last thought with them, but make sure that you let them know how you feel! If only one partner is sharing their emotions, that partner can end up feeling like the relationship is 1 sided.

And that’s not grounds for fostering the kind of emotional connection you’re looking for when you engage in the effort of taking on an international dating relationship.

Listen to Your Romantic Partner

Listening to your partner is one of the most emotionally validating activities you can do! Thoughtful listening is one of the best ways to create a strong foundation for any relationship.

When you’re in an international romance, it can be one of the most, if not the most, important factors in forming your relationship. If you neglect to listen to your partner, they may not want to express themselves to you anymore.

Without thoughtful and attentive listening and satisfying responses, your international partner will likely grow distant from you over time.

This goes double for when your partner is having a bad day. When they need emotional support the most, they need you to be there for them. And if you can’t be there for them in person, you’re going to have to make a little extra effort to be there for them in the ways you can.

Luckily, technology makes it relatively easy for you to be present in their lives in numerous ways when they need you to be supportive. Emotional support when your partner needs it is more important than any other type of support that could possibly provide.

If you want to make your international relationship work, one of the easiest things to do is to be there for them through text calls or messages when they need you to be there for them.

It’s as easy as staying in touch with them more often than usual when you know they’re having a tough day, whether you simply express your support or try to cheer them up, anything that will show them that you’re making an effort to be that type of presence in their like will earn their trust, respect, and emotional affection over time.

And if that continues to increase steadily, you’ll end up with the long-term, committed relationship that you were aiming for when you got into your international connection in the first place!

Once You Meet, Plan Your Next Meeting

Eventually, if everything stays right on course, you’ll be meeting up with your international partner! And when you do, it’s imperative to make sure that you plan your next meeting before that visit is over. You don’t want to travel home or have your partner travel back to their home and be wondering when you’re planning on seeing each other again.

Keep the momentum going by continuously planning to show up for each other, and don’t let your partner down! Building trust and a plan to be physically present with each other can lead you on the path right to the type of long-lasting relationship you’ve been looking for.

The easiest way to keep your relationship on track is to never let things be left in limbo. Don’t wait to see if the other person is going to bring up the topic because it’s not worth playing a cat-and-mouse game.

Make sure you let them know that you want to see them again and when you would be available to do that. Of course, you can discuss suggestions and see what will work best for both of you, but expressing your desire and willingness to meet with them is the most important factor when it comes to having the ability to see them again.

Because if you don’t bring it up or you don’t show up, your partner may not be interested in meeting with you again. And that’s the last thing you want to experience when trying to build the foundation for a solid, committed, and lifelong relationship with your perfect match.

Plan Your Long-Term Goals Together

You don’t have to take this step on your earliest encounters, but eventually, you’re going to want to plan your long-term goals together. Making sure that you’re on the same page with your international partner can lead you right to the successful long-term and in-person relationship you want to end up with.

If there’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what you’re looking for in the long run, it can come back to bite you later. So having a thoughtful brainstorm about what you’re really looking for out of the relationship and what you want as far as your romantic goals are concerned for the rest of your life can benefit you immensely.

Also, planning your long-term goals together can give you both something to work towards. With common goals in mind, you’ll be brought together as a couple on a shared mission to end up together in an ideal way. And working towards those goals with each other and achieving them over time may be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!

Yes – International Dating Can Work!

So, what have we learned? At the end of the day, international dating can definitely work. And it may even work better than traditional dating styles.

International dating may actually be better than relationships between people near each other because the challenges that international partners face create more robust and meaningful relationships over time.