Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Have you ever met a person whom you'd first contacted via the Internet?
From the Aglosphere or GL, for example?

Are the real people anything like those virtual ones we used 'to know'?
Ilter K.

Ilter K. Business Developer,
Music Producer, AVID
Certified Instru...

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

I've met my wife in internet. One night I've made a search for people living in Warsaw, my wife was the person I found online (ICQ). The reason to search for people living in Warsaw was my sister. She started to study Polish language in Ankara University.
My wife later said, she was hardly ever online, and her reason for being there was her illness at that time.
Coincidence.

It is almost impossible to know or learn a person just by using internet. So, no. You meet with a different person than you have met in the net. The one you imagine and the one you meet in real life is always different.
But till the moment you meet face-to-face, you may know/learn many facts and realities about the other side. Sometimes more facts than their real-life-friends know.

But I've learnt my lesson. hehe.
Having a romantic relationship or a lover from a far foreign land is very dangerous. But if both sides live in the same city, not a big deal. It is not important how people meet, it is important if they have a chance to get to know and learn about eachother.ilter K. edytował(a) ten post dnia 31.05.08 o godzinie 14:18

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

I've met a few people from GL in real life. And in general I wasn't disappointed ;)
I'm still friends with them.
But it's different when you're looking for a date in the net. Then it's more difficult ;) and most of the time people are different than they were on-line. I'm trying not to be, but still you can do/say more via internet.
And I have one good friend, whom I met like 8 years ago on some on-line chat. We have the same interests, so we decided to meet. There was nothing between us, but we are still refering to each other as husband and wife ;)

konto usunięte

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

It was the other way round for me - I'd known a lot of people who later on joined GL with me.
I've met a lot of... girls from GL, mainly prospective teachers/freelance translators and the images I'd created about them turned out to be correct.
Meeting someone IRL is usually quite a shock, when a flat online figure appears as a three-dimensional character. Sometimes not as tall as you'd imagined, for example :D

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

So far I've come to a conclusion that virtual relationships (not necessarily limited to dating) shouldn't last for too long before I meet this person.

The images of virtual friends that I create in my head very often are extremely far from the reality. And it hurts when you find out. Both ways.
Ilter K.

Ilter K. Business Developer,
Music Producer, AVID
Certified Instru...

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Definately, you are right.

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Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Yes, I`ve met some people, and friends of mine have, too. I don`t know about dating (I imagine it could be a complete failure, though two of my friends got married to men met via the Internet)but it`s worth noticing that you usually meet people in some groups of interest, so in real life there`s still something to talk about. That`s really interesting:)Violetta P. edytował(a) ten post dnia 01.06.08 o godzinie 12:36

konto usunięte

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

I've also met some people, but these in fact were colleagues :)
I don't think it's not that big risk to meet somebody for the first time: if you have already good chats with him/her via GL/phone.... I guess at that moment you know what you can expect. And talking/discussing/lauching... face to face is much easier ;))
Steve Jones

Steve Jones Business English
Trainer, Translator,
Proofreader

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Lidia K.:
Have you ever met a person whom you'd first contacted via the Internet?
From the Aglosphere or GL, for example?

Are the real people anything like those virtual ones we used 'to know'?

I'd say Yes to both questions.

I've met quite a number of people from the internet, both on a professional and friendly basis, and my overall opinion on meeting up is why not?

The way people turn out to be in the flesh is an extension of their internet persona. So, if you like someone as they appear online, you'll probably like them in real life. You get a better idea of what someone is like via IM rather than forums, though.

I'm quite in favour of this method of meeting new people. Suits the modern age quite well.
Jon M.

Jon M. Technical/Offshore
English,
petrochemicals

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Always write down details of the person, and make sure somebody knows about it. There are some creepy people out there.

On a nicer note, I once got talking to a lady in Paris, quite by chance at a pavement cafe, and it turned out that she was someone from Holland that I've had long discussions with on a particular special-interest web forum. That was a real coincidence.

Looked nothing like I'd imagined, either.Jon M. edytował(a) ten post dnia 02.06.08 o godzinie 14:22

konto usunięte

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Couple of years ago I met someone through Myspace, I was searching for people with common musical interests in my general area and came across his page. It was during the World Cup finals so after few emails we decided to get together at my place. Turned out to be one of the best things, we became real good friends, ended up working on a multitude of projects, road trips and events together. Both of our wives thought that we were absolutely crazy for meeting up like that.

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

this thread may be useful after 15 August :)

any new stories of coming out?
Anna S.

Anna S. IT recruitment and
Business Development
Consultant at Vm.pl

Temat: coming out from the virtual closet

Long time ago I was a regular contributor in a Macedonian forum. The people from the Forum started meeting each other after a while and I couldn't attend any meetings because I was in Poland. After that I succeeded twice in meeting the people and it was pretty amazing. All the people were definitely different than I expected but what was amazing was that the people i was going along great online turned out to be great people offline too.

another time, I wanted to go to a music open air festival in Serbia on my way back from Poland to Macedonia. Called all my real life friends and everybody turned me down. So I decided, ok - let's call my virtual buddies - and it worked:)
They were staying in a student hostel which was overcrowded so I was there illegally (not paying and registering). I stayed with them and even got my own bed:) Had the time of my life.

since once I ran a pretty popular blog in Macedonian lots of people contacted me and wanted to meet me. I met lots of them and these people really helped me earn some money (offered me translation second after I mentioned I am rather short of cash), sent me a really heavy parcel with books from London so I can write my thesis - totally for free or just being there when I really needed help (many times)

My experience is totally positive - do meet people irl. GO ! Go! Go!

Stan K.

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