When I was at University, I went up to Ireland on an Erasmus programme. While I was there, my friends and I decided to get a tattoo. I took a shine to the tattoo artist who was inking me, and after he finished my tattoo, we exchanged information and started seeing each other. There was a short period of uncertainty when it was time for me to come back to Malta. I think we both wanted to see how we felt when we were apart and it took some time to establish our relationship. We started visiting each other every two months or so and eventually decided to make it official.

For three years we continued travelling back and forth until I graduated from University. The most difficult thing about being apart was missing him – I often went out with friends and felt lonely as I wanted to share special occasions with him. Not knowing how or when we were going to finally be together also added a lot of strain. In time we came up with a plan – I would move to Ireland for some time, and then he would eventually move to Malta. This made life easier as we had something to work toward. The day has nearly arrived and he’s coming down to Malta for good in December!

The best parts of our relationship were the times when we would meet up. Being apart gives you time to miss someone and makes the time you spend together a lot more special. Saying goodbye at the end of a visit was always very hard though, even now after six years and knowing he will be moving to Malta soon, having to separate after spending a few days together is always very tough.

Before I found myself in one, I had never given long-distance relationships much thought. I guess I always assumed that being away from your partner is difficult, and I did have worries about growing apart and the distance getting in the way. Looking back, however, I think that when you really love someone and you’re determined to make a future with them, the sacrifices of being apart are worth it.

Trust is key. It’s very important to invest your time and emotions in somebody you trust. Don’t get me wrong, I think there will always be a little bit of worry, but at the end of the day you need to trust your partner in order to make things work. Also, I’d definitely suggest making plans for the future. I believe that having a plan and knowing that you will eventually have a life together is very important as it gives you something to work towards. You need to listen to your heart and be sure that you love the person enough to make the sacrifices an LDR involves. If you feel yourself straying then it’s probably time to think long and hard about whether you can cope with the distance. From my experience however, as difficult as it can get at times, it’s totally worth it in the end.

*Name has been changed