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The three faces of a long distance relationship

DUBAI: The Christmas holidays are usually for reunions. But what if there’s a gaping distance between you and your special someone?

In this edition, The Filipino Times pulls in a special report – the three faces of long distance relationship, if you will, from which readers could perhaps relate to.

Indeed, as the Filipino saying goes, “Wala na yatang mas lalamig pa sa mga gabi ng Pasko lalo na kung hindi mo kasama ang lovelife mo.”

If couples who have the opportunity to meet together regularly already have “trust issues,” what more for those who have long distance relationships (LDR)?

Here are three stories of Filipinos who may have found and are holding on to their “forever” even if they’re oceans and countries apart.

From UAE to the Philippines with love

Majority of couples will find Edryan’s story very familiar. When he married his wife, Aleli, he initially thought it would be great to be with the entire family here in Dubai – but with the rising cost of living, he decided it would be a better decision to have his wife and kids stay home to make better use of their monetary resources.

However, despite their decision, Edryan said he feels lonely especially since he has already gotten used to the idea of his family, especially his wife being there for him.

From UAE to the Philippines with love

“It is hard to be away from family especially when you are used to be with them. To overcome, I always pray that the day when I will finally be with them again comes sooner,” shares Edryan.

With their trust in each other as a family, Salcedo remains steadfast in his love not just for his wife, but for his entire family. “With the help of prayers and family and friends, no distance can make you give up with this kind of trials,” said Edryan.

TIP: Prayers always work.

Pinay meets partner through online dating

Sarah, who has been in the UAE for 14 years, met her boyfriend Jan from Slovenia through online dating.

“After a couple of months of getting to know each other, I saw how great of a person Jan is. Not just to his friends, but most of all to his family. He opened my eyes to a whole new world and kept me strong during the toughest days of my life.  We decided to give it a try. Barely a year in, he booked another trip here to meet my family. It was amazing and, though we’re still in an LDR, I’m just grateful it’s with Jan,” shares Sarah.

Pinay meets partner through online dating

Sarah said that even though she was able to meet with Jan personally, there had been instances when she feared it might not work out. But it was her complete trust in him as well as their constant communication that kept her going.

“We’re able to overcome these challenges by just trusting each other completely, staying focused on our goals as a couple, bettering ourselves each day for ourselves and the other person, and filling up those communication barriers wherever needed. He also sees me as part of his family, not just as a best friend and a partner, and I guess that’s also an important factor – seeing how he values his family so much,” said Sarah.

TIP: Trust and constant communication make it happen.

Constantly being on each other’s minds

Sherlo met his spouse Carla through a retreat where he was one of the facilitators and Carla was a participant. As the two got together, they realized that they had the same ideals when it comes to love, family, and career. The couple decided to give it a try and eventually rang the wedding bells. However, Sherlo had to leave the Philippines for the UAE to continue his career.

Constantly being on each other minds

Sherlo initially found it hard as he longed to be with his wife, but through love, trust, and constant communication coupled with consistency with their actions and words, they continue to persist the geographical boundaries and challenges of being in an LDR. “Love is not all about feelings, it must also be associated with actions. Trust is needed there are a lot of temptations in this real world. Communication, you don’t have the privilege to see or touch each other… so every chat, call, video call is very important,” shares Sherlo.

Sherlo says that the secret to their LDR is “consistency” as they continue to love each other more and more as days go by. “(You need) to love more and more always, to be thoughtful always, and to communicate always. For those who’s already in an LDR, it is hard but both of you would grow as an individual, and as the saying goes: ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder,’” shares Sherlo.

TIP: Consistency. Consistency. Consistency.

(By Heide Serrano and Neil Bie)

Heidecel Serrano

Heidecel Serrano is a London-based contributor for The Filipino Times. She has worked for The Filipino Times as a reporter/writer from 2018 until she moved to the United Kingdom in 2019. She focuses her writing on light-hearted and inspiring stories among OFWs in Europe. You may contact her at [email protected]

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