drop it, be real and don't forget there are 7.7 billion people in the world, why create this situation in the first place?

It's tough when you can't physically touch the person you want to be with.

I'm a patient person. I've lost enough in my life. I'm willing to wait if it means it might last.

The hardest part for me is missing physical contact and proximity. We talk and Skype daily, and it has resulted in deep communication and connection, which is a great benefit. But I miss getting a great bug hug when I need it, or giving him one when he does. I also do a lot of reading of body language, which is hard over Skype and can sometimes result in me feeling disconnected.
We cope by communicating openly. And also by doing things together. Sometimes we just stay connected by speaker phone while going about our daily lives. We send lots of pics of what we are doing to try to share moments. And we are both focused on taking steps toward bring our lives together, and building common interests and activities.
(?@beerkrump!)

My wife grew up in China and I am from western Mass USA. We spent the first 2.5 years traveling back and forth (well I did the traveling as she couldn't get a visa to the US), Skyping and exchanging messages. It was incredibly frustrating that we couldn't be together often enough. But then she got her visa and green card and the rest has been great! We married in November of 2005. Our son was born in October of 2009.

Be persistent can be rewarding but is hard

To fill your life with a lot of stuff, going out, study, hang with friends, play tennis, listen to music, go to concerts, and also keep in contact through phone calls, FB, mails. it worked for me, but mind you, when we met again after two years she was a different person, maybe I was another person too.

I had one 30 years ago. It was fine. Just knowing she was there was nice. But, she wasn't into me like I was into her so I ended it. I'd do it again. Ya never know!!

When I was in one we spent a fortune talking on the phone everyday because she wasn’t in a place where broadband/Skype was viable. If you can both talk every day that’s about the best you can do. Overall you’ve gotta be realistic about your circumstances though. Did you meet online/long distance or did the relationship start in person? Is the distance insurmountable for you to both afford to travel at least a couple times a year to see each other? Is there any foreseeable end to the separation?

If it’s not a temporary situation it’s probably best to rip the bandaid off and move on with life than to both torture yourselves with longing. It sucks to end a relationship that way, not because anyone did anything wrong but because circumstances dictate it pointless. But at a certain point it’s kinder to everyone involved to get it out of the way unless there’s a serious, realistic plan in motion to move closer. We gave it 3 years. I was no closer to being able to get to her than when we started and it was just keeping us both stagnated. At that point ya gotta move on. If we were smart we’da done so a year or two earlier.

The time frame. My gf is in Africa and her night is in the middle of my work day.