Many couples got separated with international borders closed due to pandemics. Some pairs have met before after connecting on international dating sites like Elenasmodels.com, others are already married but now stuck in different countries. Some couples just got their fiancée visa or spouse visa applications approved. Others had only seen each other on Skype but feel hopelessly in love.
How to handle long distance relationships
Each kind of pairs may think they are in a worse situation than others: Married lovers may think that they struggle the most, while newly connected couples who never had a chance to walk hand-in-hand could feel their frustrations are the worst.
Let’s realize that sometimes couples get separated. In could be that one of you has to look after a sick relative or stay away for business. And sometimes, borders get locked, although it hasn’t happened in the world for a while.
We know that the borders will open: Even after wars countries began to allow visitors from former enemy states.
Possibly, it’s the uncertainty of the timing when this is going to happen that makes it worse.
“He is an astronaut”
One of our couples, Olga (Russia) and Mike (USA) got married in December 2019 but now they are stuck in their countries. The plan was for Olga to finish the work in her business and join Mike by mid-2020, but things changed, as we all know.
Olga and Mike are separated in different countries, waiting for borders to open. For over 7 months, they are in a long distance relationship, not knowing when they will be able to hug each other again.
“I decided he is an austronaut”, Olga says. She is waiting for him to come back like wives had been waiting for soldiers during WWII or sailors who went to a trip to distant lands.
Other couples plan to meet in Turkey, where citizens of the USA can arrive, as well as Russians and Ukrainians.
Another pair had just got their fiancée visa to the USA approved and now they need to wait to hear when the bride-to-be can fly to the States.
Things have been on hold for a while for these lovers.
They say daily chats, videos, and photos help to feel part of each other’s life.
“Waiting for the world to open”
“I have fallen deeply in love with a Ukrainian woman. We are similar in personality and our love is strong. We have so far been grateful and adapt to the distance and time differences. But the doubt about when we can meet because of Covid drain my energy; tears at my heart and soul. And to be truthful I am not sure I can wait 6 months.
“Or maybe it is not that but I will not be able to cope with the distance separation for so long. I already want to walk hand in hand, sleep together, meet her relatives, be a part of her life every day. How can I feel that way for 6 months? We have not met physically. Of course, we use Viber ‘hourly’ and Skype sessions twice weekly. We both deliberately keep busy. But sometimes we feel denied and cheated by the universe.
“That is silly and faulty thinking but it happens anyway. If I could book a flight 3 months in advance then I could do the count down. But now I do not how high I need to count.Sorry, long letter. Huh! Maybe I should listen to one of Birdy’s laments, to know that others have the same issue.”
Countries are opening up already: USA consulates started to issue visas to students and professionals, other countries are starting to do the same.
If you knew you could only meet in 1 year, would you be able to hold on?
Finding the right person can take years. Going through tough times together (although you are physically apart, but spiritually you are going through this as a couple) can add a new dimension to your relationship that has to withstand the test of distance from the start.
Imagine telling your grandkids the story of how you met online in the midst of the pandemics and how you had to wait for months just to hug each other, teaching them the virtues of patience and faith. It will be such a romantic and touching story, they are going to retell it to their kids and grandkids. You are creating a great story and setting an example, testing your own strength as a couple. If you can get through this, you can get through anything in life.
That’s the times when faith is the requirement for all of us, and not only the ones who are in love. We are in this together.
Sending lots of love and warmth to all our gorgeous couples,
Elena Petrova, Founder of Elenasmodels.com
My fiancee and I can understand this all too well. We were to have the visa interview in Moscow this year and were planning to wed this winter but now we don’t know when it will happen. But I will move the earth to be with her sometime this winter.