Search Results: friend vs. relationship

There was one time, a guy's mother was straight forward from the beginning about what she didn't like about me. She was the type that wasted no time on gossiping behind your back and then being nice to you. She said it herself ''why should I complain to others when I can talk to to the person directly about what I don't like and work on it''.

Eventually she did came around. I never heard her gossiping about others either but if she didn't like something, she would let you know. Ironically is I never really lost respect for her and even though I'm no longer in the relationship with her son, we've remained friends on FB. I like honesty, even if it hurts at first. It takes guts to say it to your face than to pretend to be nice and badmouth about you behind your back.

If it was you, then would you prefer someone telling you straight forward or pretending to be nice (and smile to your face) and talk garbage to others behind your back?

I met my boyfriend at a language exchange social in August 2019 and we had a long, intense, online romance for about a month before I let him meet with me again. Once we started meeting in October, the chemistry was so strong that we were officially girlfriend/boyfriend by the end of the month. I had never had a boyfriend before this-- I am extremely picky and believe that the person I am dating should be a person I could see myself marrying. This makes it extremely complicated especially in the beginning of a relationship, when you cannot predict the future and it comes to mind vs. heart and reason vs. passion. I know one cannot predict the future, but I want there to be at least a vision of the future on the horizon.

This is when I get doubts. He will say things like "we will have two weddings, one here and one in Saudi" but if I joke about it he is serious and becomes distant. He met my family and close friends, he tells me that he talks to his close friends about me (I facetimed one of his best friends back home, and one time he said his mom told him to said hi to me). I truly believe he loves me with all his heart. But he's practical, and I'm afraid that while he does love me, he will return to Saudi and break up with me because of our cultural differences.

At moments it seems we are polar opposites. Even our language reads in opposite directions-- left to right and right to left. I feel like we are the positive and negative space in artwork, severely juxtaposing each other but can only exist from this juxtaposition.

I feel like no one understands this situation. Please give me advice and a different perspective—am I naive to think this relationship could work?