Originally Posted by Bix

Any ladeeeees fancy a meet in a quiet country lane ?

Originally Posted by Bix

Any ladeeeees fancy a meet in a quiet country lane ?

Originally Posted by worzel

Naughty! I was just about to say I will probably meet my next wife on-line

Seriuously though (I think I can do that) we went to meets over here and back there but bottled out the first time each. But I am so glad we tried again. We have done lots both sides now. I think people who can do this are so much more likely to succeed. You may be surprised to hear we are both very shy.

It helped enormously to find people in the same situations as us to calm our fears. But we also made friends we still talk to and made the trepidation of the move go away. We also made friends (and leads to future friends) that have made settling in so easy.

So tell your kids not to do it, but go and make friends on-line yourselves!

Originally Posted by jdt3000

Why is there such a bad rep for meeting new people online? I was speaking to someone last night at a Moviefest who was REALLY putting down people who use the internet as a means of meeting others.

Is it really as unhealthy and 'sad' as people suggest? Or are these people just way too ignorant and don't know who and what they are missing? I have met quite a few cool people online using BE, it's definitely been handy for meeting other people my age. While I realise in an ideal world we would all meet people out and about during our daily lives, but surely if you are unable to attend work/uni/clubs etc (for whatever reason), the internet is an acceptable medium to meet new people?

I mean, when I first got here, I could not get a job (1. They are so damn picky, 2. They take forever to make decisions), University was/is unappealing as I don't know what I want to do and the prices for the courses are high, and the amount of social clubs on the Sunshine Coast leave a lot to be desired! People have said "Go to bars/pubs/clubs etc", but like most people, I'm not the kind of person that just waltzes into such places and makes mates! I'd feel like a right idiot going to a bar on my own!

Now I have a job I'm sure that I will start making some friends through that, but I won't deny that BE has done me some favors!

What does everyone else think?

Originally Posted by bundy

From where I'm standing, it's be best idea I've ever had. Others will know why

Originally Posted by Pollyana

I have met a lot - dozens - of people through BE, some of whom have become really good friends. It just needs some common sense - try and meet in groups, and in a public place - until you get to know each other.
People I have met through BE are now my best mates here, we go to their homes for meals, meet for drinks, people from the site were at our wedding, and we have been to stay with others while on holiday - Chez Hevs comes highly recommended!!!
Be sensible, thats all

Originally Posted by steve`o

what do you mean IF you meet some nutter
most of the people in the BE bar are certifiable

Originally Posted by Bordy

Bit dodgy, I'd never meet up with anyone from BE.

Originally Posted by onepearlyb

When I was working in Oz in 2002 I bought myself a computer and on a day off looked into the UK Friends Reunited. I noticed a guys name and although I didn't know him,just felt I should look at what he'd written about himself.I liked his dry sense of humour and was amazed to see that I was a year above him at school, had worked in the same pub while at college, knew the same group of friends AND while growing up had lived 2 mins away from each other. We started a 9 month friendship via email and phone and grew close. He looked into getting a job transfer out to Melbourne to be with me,but couldn't get one. So, I returned to the UK because I felt we should be together and I just knew it would be ok. I moved in with him about 3 weeks after returning to the Uk. It just felt right. We'd emailed and phoned each other for 9 months while I was out in Oz and felt we knew each other well before we embarked on anything more serious.

Almost a year to the day of my return to the Uk I was diagnosed with breast cancer. We helped each other through that horrific time and although we felt heartbroken by the diagnosis we managed to get through 2 lots of major surgery, 4 months of chemotherapy, 5 weeks of daily readiotherapy and got married at the end of that year!!
We've been married for a year and a half now and I feel more well than ever with no signs of a reocurrance. As you can see, we've applied for Ozzy Residence. We want to have our life back in Melbourne that we almost had before I came back. Before the shit hit the fan so to speak. It's like a new start for us. Whatever happens in the future we'll be together, hopefully in Melbourne enjoying everything about that place that we love.

So, without the internet we wouldn't have met each other. We both took a risk by getting together after meeting on the internet and took lots of slagging at the time from our mates but no-one says anything to us now. We've proved them all wrong, and we're happier than ever and planning for a future in Oz even after the emotional and physical battering, literally.
I say don't be put off by meeting people through the "net". It's the "pen-pals" of yesteryear, and hopefully sites like this create new, safe and well grounded supportive friendships.
Keep well and happy everyone.

*pearly*