My mom met her current... erm... is there another term for boyfriend that doesn't sound like they're still in highschool?
Well, given your English-second-language perspective, it might sound incorrect, but "boyfriend" is still used as a general term for that "stepping stone" someone that you have a potentially intimate relationship with but are not married to. There really aren't any other terms for it.
As for online meeting, dating, relationships... this is a very broad topic.
Meeting potential dates online? This is fine. I can see very little difference between speaking to someone you might want to date in a bar or over AIM. Only one critical difference here -- typically there must be at least an "acceptable" amount of attraction between the two (we're always animals first), meaning that it would be better to get that first step of basic attraction out of the way. (Pix plz.)
The main bonus of chatting up a potential romance over the internet: The common shyness most people experience when meeting a stranger face-to-face for the first time is averted. The beginning chats are so much easier than trying to "put on a show" to seem interesting, and no worry about how you look at the moment. (You could very well be sitting at home in boxer shorts and a white T-Shirt, but your best verbal abilities will show through fine.)
The main folly of romance over the internet: If "purely internet " is used for too long, it often becomes "too easy." The fact is, this "shyness disconnect" sometimes makes it seem like you both get along quite well without realizing that in presence of each other you actually do even unnoticed things that might annoy the other. This could be a nervous habit, an irritating laugh, maybe even the shape of your head which looked okay in the sent photo but in real life is very unattractive to the other. You really just can't know these things for certain. Humans are picky creatures with often very peculiar and specific tastes, sometimes ones we aren't even aware of.
Of course, that doesn't mean you two could meet and hit it off right away, just like it seemed would happen. In fact, I believe internet hookups will become increasingly common in the coming years.
But let's get one thing out of the way, the most important issue -- distance. 10 minutes by train? No big deal! Go, meet up, have lunch, DATE! And don't read any further on this post.
But what if it's 2 hours by PLANE? Waaait a minute... how many of us can afford weekly flights? You mean it's going to be MONTHS before I can see you once... and perhaps MONTHS again before I get another chance?
A lot of us will "deal" with it. In fact, many of us here probably have formed what we felt were terrific relationships and even did get quite a few chances where, even though they were months apart, we would spend a week at a time together, and then for certain the word "marriage" popped up and everything seemed wonderful.
But does it work? The truth is, sometimes people just are meant to be together. They just "click" and everything is fine, no matter what happens. For example:
OTHER GIRLS: "You're so weird! What the hell?"
HER: "You're so weird! I love you!"
... some of us are like that. Our personal habits and behaviors are really awkward, and some of us just ... can't meet the average girl and expect to get along. I for example have some severe emotional crippling and scarring as well as various anxieties that I have found tends to drive away most people I've called "friends". I can seem perfectly normal to a random stranger, but when people get to know me, they usually get scared... or, worse, indifferent, i.e. they don't even try to understand my issues for what they are, real, true illness. But I can control my issues most of the time ... and if someone chooses to look past my defects, they see my good parts; truth, honesty, dependability, and a real heart that does actually care, even if sometimes I seem like a real misanthrope.
But let's be honest and realistic. Humans are social creatures. "Distance" relationships don't make logical sense for people who are newly putting themselves together. (There is a difference between a couple married faithfully 20 years when the husband must take a 3 month business trip and a couple of people who just had their first dinner together and won't see each other for 3 months... think about it.) Even if you think you're better than the rest and will remain strong and dedicated, just wait -- SOMETHING will happen. SOMETHING will occur, just one really bad day, or just a series of miserable days, when the shit hits the fan and you just really need someone who will console you, make you feel better... and it's not your significant other, disconnected and unavailable 1,000 miles away.
Does that happen every time? Of course not! You two might just be perfect for each other, and maybe even are able to find consolation simply by each typing the "right words", and everything works out... or you'll be able to call each other, and the sound of your voice just works through you.
So on to the final problem. You guys have made it! You've survived a length of time that both of you have decided it is okay to marry now (or just live together, if you're down with that.) You've been "together" for several months... though, because of that nasty ol' distance, you've only really spent maybe a week or two sprinkled throughout that time. Are you ready for it? Sure seems like it...
But now comes the real test that most of us wouldn't think about. I have never gotten this far, so now I'm speaking completely theoretically... but here it is: LIVING TOGETHER. Whether by marrying or just the act itself, you are now going to be in proximity not just for a week or two... but potentially for the rest of your lives. The fact is, even if you can find yourself getting along with someone just fine for a couple weeks every three months or so, does that necessarily mean you'll get along for an indefinite amount of time? Will you still find each other a pleasure? Will you realize a frightening truth that you bore each other? Or worse, will you start seeing defects you never saw before, things you simply can't handle? For example, maybe you're a jealous type. And now that you watch the person for a long time, you start seeing that they like looking at other people, sort of dreamingly. Maybe you don't like that habit.
But it was never apparent before, especially since your week-shot visits were of much higher focus given their short duration. Do these things cause us to behave differently, even in ways we don't notice? I think so, and this is the greatest risk of all.
After all, now you've just dropped your entire former life and moved that 1,000 miles to start anew with the person you think you want to spend your life with, perhaps away from family and friends, because it was "worth it."
But was it?