Question: What do an American librarian with Tourette’s syndrome, a bi-sexual mother from Alice Springs and a Tibetan monk have in common?
Answer: They’re all real people I’ve met on the Internet, either through Twitter or my blog.
I know some people wouldn’t want to associate with such an odd mix of people but I love it. I thrive on getting to know people from all walks of life.
It’s amazing it’s so easy for us to meet new people these days, and that more people don’t take advantage of it.
But Only Losers Meet People On The Internet!
I thought only losers met people on the Internet too, but recently I had to reassess that prejudice. In fact, one of my best friends met her husband on the Internet several years ago, so it’s clearly not true. The happy couple keep how they met secret, but why should they be ashamed of having met through a dating website? Apparently one in eight of all weddings in the USA are people who met on the Internet.
How I Overcame My Prejudices
The first time I met someone on the Internet it was an accident. Here’s the story. In April I submitted my blog to expatwomen.com. The owner emailed me back asking:
“Out of curiosity, where in Australia are you living? 
”
She’s called Andrea, uses smileys liberally, and coincidentally, she lived near me on the Sunshine Coast. Next she asked me how old my kids were and I emailed back:
“Our kids are 10, 7 and 4. We moved here in November after 18 months in Costa Rica. Before that we were in New Zealand for ten years. All our kids are Kiwis but my hubby, Rich, and I were born in England. Rich was raised in Kenya though so he’s been an expat since 6 months old.
We’re very happy and loving all the amenities in Australia after our time in the jungle. Rich is setting up a website development business – we sold the one we had in New Zealand – and I’m writing full time though I haven’t earned any money from it yet. I’ll give it until the end of the year:)
I’ve just read your biography on the site and seen your lovely photo. What a good idea to set it up. You sound very well travelled. How old are your kids and where would you like to go to next?! You can’t get much better than where we live now but I don’t think I’ll ever kick the travel bug!”
Andrea then emailed me again telling me about her family travels and ending:
“We have some friends coming over this Sunday. Would you like to join us? I don’t normally send invites out left, right and centre… so I must have a good feeling that we’re going to get along. I hope I’m right.:-)”
Overcoming Fear Of The Unknown
What a brave lady Andrea was. Have you ever invited five strangers to your house for supper? We were also worried about going with the usual fears:
- What if we had nothing in common after all?
- What if they belonged to some weird religious cult and tried to convert us?
- What if they frowned on our wild, shoeless children who eat spaghetti bolognaise with their fingers?
But in the end we all got on brilliantly. Andrea and her family have just moved to Indonesia for their next big adventure but I know we’ll keep in touch and catch up with them again sometime. Unless they moved to Indonesia to get away from us…
Since Andrea helped me shed my prejudices, I’ve met more people on the Internet. Some live overseas or too far for me to meet in person, but many I’ve met in the flesh, including a lovely lady who found me on my blog, and lots of people I met on Twitter.
One night I even went to a local ‘Tweet Up’, where people from Twitter come out into the real world. It turned out to be a blind date with me and six men. They were all geeks though and I already have a lovely computer boffin husband. It’s just good to get outside your comfort zone and get to know people you might not have met otherwise.
How You Can Meet Interesting People All Over The World
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Be open to the idea of making new friends.
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Overturn your prejudices about meeting people online.
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Try using Twitter, have a look round, see who interests you.
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Visit their site and leave a comment if it tickles your fancy.
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Email or tweet them and see what happens. You might be surprised.
Let Me Introduce You
Check some of my new mates out for yourselves. They’re all smart, friendly and funny too.
Catch up with Andrea, the brave, friendly expat lady here.
Maybe you’re more interested in Josh, the American librarian with Tourette’s syndrome?
The bi-sexual mother from Alice Springs appeals? She’s hot, taken though.
The Tibetan monk? I was in touch with Choejor. Say Tashi Delek to him from me.
But Wait There’s More!
Two lovely young blogging experts, Seth and Alex.
Connie, a stunning foodie in Florida.
Jackson the Antipodean alpha geek and surf dude.
And the latest is Chris, creator of the art of non-conformity.
Amazing isn’t it? There are others too, but I’ll save them for later. It’s your turn now. Have you ever met any great people in unexpected places, or done something that you thought you’d never do?
Thanks for reading
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post. Nothing wrong with meeting people from the internet. Thats how i met Cate and now look, over 10 years later married and a house full of kids.
There are so many interesting people in this world, we should all be open to meeting anybody and everybody.
Amazing! Thank heavens I’ve opened my eyes. I hope these stories will encourage more people to:)
I have friends that I met in a blogging community TEN years ago that I still keep up with and count as very important to me. I think an amazing thing that the internet provides is a medium for writers to meet other writers, especially ones that didn’t even think of themselves as writers. Thanks, Annabel
HI Annabel .. what great stories .. I’ll be back to look further .. we do meet people from all over the place .. I know I’ve linked in mostly with Americans, but there’s a NZ, someone from Singapore, Panama, etc etc .. just from the interaction of making and maintaining a friendship via their blog and then back again – it is a give situation more to start with.
I loved the idea of a Twitter meet up .. I’m not sure Eastbourne would fit that idea .. and I’m not going to do it now – but certainly later on .. why not? Good idea .. and I could do with some geeks!
Keep learning, keep writing and keep the conversation going .. and we learn from others in so many countries .. lovely!
All the best – Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Annabel, sorry I’m so late to the party. Thanks so much for the mention.
I’m constantly surprised at how real and beneficial relationships online can be. Whether it’s business, personal improvement, or just making friends, I have met so many people that are important to me that I will probably never meet in person.
But, if I’m ever in Australia, you’re going to be my tour guide, Annabel.
Great post here Annabel. I feel so ordinary, but you keep in contact with me and I feel connected with so many different people.
There’s the woamn on Orble.com who is convinced Obama is the antichrist, various passionate people who know the only/best/quickest way to get rich online. You take it all with a pinch of salt and make sure your bullshit detector is always switched on!
I’m a dog breeding wife and mother who has fun writing blog posts – sometimes for real honest to goodness money!
- Carolyn, I should have included you on the list:) You’re my pooch pandering poet contact, for all things dog-related but not doggerel!
- Josh, it’s okay to be fashionably late here. You’re right to differentiate between business contacts and friends but I can’t. I don’t like to do business with people I wouldn’t want to be friends with and business relationships often lead to friendship in the end. Happy to show you round Australia any time:)
- Hilary, lovely to hear that you’ve connected with people all over the world through your blog. We’re definitely priviledged to live in these times. I’m sure this ease of communication will change the world. I remember having penpals when I was a kid but now my own children are able to connect and communicate in real time with kids all over the world on Internet games like Club Penguin where they “waddle around and have fun”. If you’re after geeks you should organise take Eastbourne by suprise and organise a Tweet up. I’d love to hear how it goes!
Hi Annabel. Thanks for the mention! Great to meet you too! Surf’s crap today…. Geek time instead.
Jackson – it would be fun to meet in the surf instead of online or in bars:)
Sharon – Thanks for sharing that with us. I actually put this post up partly as a subliminal message for a single friend of mine. Hope she gets it!
Hi Annabel,
I met my husband through the internet. At least one of my friends met her husband the same way. I recently reestablished contact with at least a dozen people I went to school with between 20 and 30 years ago and my family has found four first cousins we lost contact with 30 years ago.
Mmm the trouble is when you haven’t got a good ‘bullshit detector’ ….I am easily convinced of anything haha but message heard!
This post really has a unique, open-minded perspective. Keep up the good work!
Hey Annabel!
I want to be on your list of interesting people you’ve met on the web who aren’t losers. haahhaa! That’s so funny. I didn’t know about that prejudice. It seems to me that people who need to criticize they haven’t met yet, probably amuse themselves criticizing everyone. Good for you for breaking through the barrier and making friends on line. I’m proud to be one of them!