When on-line friends want to meet in person

hollydolly said:
I don't know about that, I thik everyone so far that I've met in both coutntires forum, with the exception of 2 grifters.... would most certainly want to pay if they were going to be hosted.. whether anyone would accept is another thing.. but I can't thibk of anyone that I've met who would try a trick like that..

That said.. the worst people are family. I spent years hosting members of my family in Spain who just thought it was a free holiday, and of course they'd want to be taken here and there, and be eating out a lot.. at my expense... I had to work, so I couldn't keep taking them everywhere for 2 weeks.. and so they'd spend the day using my pool and facilities, then I'd get home tired, and they'd want to go party at late night restaurants and bars
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I promise if you let me stay with you in Spain, I will spend the day in the pool, but won’t want to go out and party at night, and I will help you make dinner together…….
 

Years ago I met up with a couple from Ontario and a single woman from Scotland. They were both very rewarding experiences. There were no unexpected situations, I think because we were all truthful about everything. That was years ago. There’s nobody I want to meet online now in person but I have met quite a few people over the past 7 years here whom I’m quite fond of. There’s one member I’ve sent cookies to.
 
Rose65 said:
I have made some really good friends online and I value each of them very much.

However, I am not keen to meet up. This is because I am not one for going out socialising any more but also because I just like to keep things as they are. I am reclusive these days.

An FB friend who lives in another country has recently asked me if we can meet when they visit the UK later this year. I had to reply no, I had to find diplomatic words and hope I have not caused offence.

Does anyone else feel like me?
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Years ago I attended 2 different Halloween parties with other flawed individuals. Today, I wouldn't as I have come away from online chats and am not keen to restart them.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
I promise if you let me stay with you in Spain, I will spend the day in the pool, but won’t want to go out and party at night, and I will help you make dinner together…….
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LOL..Yvonne... I know you're only joking, sadly I'm having to sell the house as part of the divorce settlement .... but if I ever get another one, you know you'd be one of the first I'd be happy to welcome to it... 🍹
 
Sorry, awhile ago, I posted this in the wrong thread. This time, I have the right one. :confused:

This is a little off topic, but . . .

Remember email pen pals?

In the late 1990s before I got a computer, I had WebTV, later known as MSNTV. I met a woman online through an email pen pal registry that I cannot remember the name of, and we communicated almost daily for about 10 years. I was married at the time, and so was she. Neither of us wanted to meet - it was just a friendly email exchange.

In 2008, we stopped writing over a disagreement - which was over something really insignificant, now that I think back. Last year, I came across her email address, and sent a friendly email just to say hello, and ask how she was, but got no answer or indication if the email even went through or not, so I started researching her on the internet and found her obituary. It made me kind of sad that we did not repair our friendship before she passed on.
 
hollydolly said:
LOL..Yvonne... I know you're only joking, sadly I'm having to sell the house as part of the divorce settlement .... but if I ever get another one, you know you'd be one of the first I'd be happy to welcome to it... 🍹
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Are you planning any trips to the States , like Illinois soon
 
Rose65 said:
Actually, it's the way this friend approached it that I think put me off. She just messaged to ask for my address so that she can plan her visit.
My instant feeling to myself was no, I just don't want the stress. It's much better to diplomatically sound someone out rather than straight out say you want to visit.
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Yikes! That would have immediately put me off, too, @Rose65.
 
Back in 2007 I was on a homesteading forum. A few of us very tight and decided to meet for a weekend of tent camping in Norwich ny. There were about a dozen of us half and half and we had a blast. We all brought something to trade (I brought my home spun yarn) we barbecued, played cards and just talked about a campfire. It rained the entire weekend but there was a covered patio so we were dry. The campgrounds had an excellent bath house too, very safe. Those were some of the nicest folks I've met. They are all off that forum as I am but I remember that weekend fondly.
 
Meeting someone from online can be sort of like meeting someone anyplace.
The one thought is just how much proof ya got of who they actually are.

Ya meet in person, say hi. Weeks later you see each other again and say Hi, Hi.

Weeks later they have a flat in the parking lot, you a say hi and offer to help.
So, you run em home but bring hubby / boy friend back to change the tire. Lol ....

Today a young 18-year-old is pulling clothes off, putting others on, trying on clothes
at a store, I said, "you're sort of fun to watch."

She was very pleased and thanked me for the compliment. I didn't have to take her home though. ... :ROFLMAO: ...
 
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@Rose65 I don't blame you. I too would've said no. I'm also reclusive but they could be anybody and could be working to scam you. Your safety comes first.
 
I was on a sewing forum and I was the one who asked if anyone would like to meet up. However, I was thinking of meeting somewhere very local. This lady was from Victoria, BC and she was coming to Vancouver for a day for some reason, I can't remember why now. Anyways, she said she could meet me at the ferry terminal and we could have lunch somewhere around there. I made my excuses, too far to travel there and back by bus. And it's not that she comes in to Vancouver often, maybe once a year if that.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Sorry, awhile ago, I posted this in the wrong thread. This time, I have the right one. :confused:

This is a little off topic, but . . .

Remember email pen pals?

In the late 1990s before I got a computer, I had WebTV, later known as MSNTV. I met a woman online through an email pen pal registry that I cannot remember the name of, and we communicated almost daily for about 10 years. I was married at the time, and so was she. Neither of us wanted to meet - it was just a friendly email exchange.

In 2008, we stopped writing over a disagreement - which was over something really insignificant, now that I think back. Last year, I came across her email address, and sent a friendly email just to say hello, and ask how she was, but got no answer or indication if the email even went through or not, so I started researching her on the internet and found her obituary. It made me kind of sad that we did not repair our friendship before she passed on.
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Small world. I had WebTV too. It was great. You could go anywhere on the web and never worry about a virus.
Do you still have your email. I do.

If I did meet up with someone from online it would need to be at a neutral place.
Even with people I know I prefer to meet outside of my house. Im an introvert. Ive only got so much chattiness in me.
And then Im done. When people come to your house you cant say Im done you need to leave. :D
Its much easier to escape when youre outside. :D #sorry #not sorry
 
I have an ancient lady friend in Indiana. She did a girls home until retirement.
She accepted a young woman to live with her to get on her feet and that slut
stole her Buick. It was insured, my lady friend got a good settlement after the LEO
retrieved the beat-up car, but sill. In our .... home .... sure puts us at huge risk.
My friend takes a bus now and calls a cab for assistance. She lives in the elderly
Home and is ok. Her spine is her worst worry. Bending hard to the left even with
surgeries. Pain ---- Pain, oh the pain she has endured.
 
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It's interesting the topic has been active awhile now yet no one has mentioned www.meetups.com where what this topic is about is the purpose. The key difference is meetups has a local regional focus where people can travel modest distances to reach one another while an open Internet forum can be as this is, a worldwide structure, where one may be lucky if any other members are within easy car driving distance. I haven't been active since before the pandemic.

Both regional hiking and skiing web communities I'm active in, have occasional group meet ups, like a week at some Colorado ski resort region. The latter doesn't just draw regionally but rather from across North American and even Europe. That can happen in this era among group enthusiasts that are rich. And yes some skiers are very much wealthy. There will be local region ski threads with members very active talking about skiing and its fun.

Or on a hiking board, a plan could be as simple as a terse trailhead meetup sentence on a thread to backpack in a couple nights at some alpine lake. Likewise with some outdoor photo groups. But with meetups dot com, I did some group astronomy telescope nights, local trail hiking, and more. In any case, it can work as a vehicle to cooperatively plan and execute whatever activity with other people. As someone that worked decades in hardware electronic engineering groups, I find cooperation with others in groups something that complements how families work as a unit while satisfying a interest in exercising a core innate social skill within humans.

Has groups that define their own purposes and modes and form limited purpose online groups that often meet up as groups in public places like parks, schools, restaurants, etc, use emails for slower group communications, and communicate during events with smartphones. Check out all the varieties of group interest listings. In this case, living in a large urban area like here in the SFBA, makes such web communities possible due to critical mass.

Meetup | Find Local Groups, Events, and Activities Near You
 
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Some of my dearest friends are folks I initially met online. We’ve stayed in each others homes or visited at home, and it’s always been lovely.

I have no problem with a meetup with anyone whom I have come to know well online. If any of you wanted to meet, I would love it! I know you’d understand if we met publicly first, as a precaution for the both of us. Or at my home but with my husband present.

I love meeting folks in person who I’ve gotten to know online!
 
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