I've been emailing an online friend for over a year (more like 2 years). We met on an online group for a shared interest. We get on great and email (and WhatsApp) every day. We've never actually spoken in person like phone calls or video chat. It's just never happened or been brought up by either of us. No particular reason.
I'm confident in his true identity though as he has an online presence that all matches fine. Things like Linked in and other stuff related to his work.
Photos I've had from him are definitely matching the person shown on his work related online stuff.
He's been based abroad for the last several years but is coming home to the UK in the summer (for good). He's moving back because of family circumstances (elderly parents) and also because the country he's been based in isn't particularly stable.
We've been chatting casually about how nice it would be to meet up once he gets settled back here. I'd love to but feel so nervous! I don't usually get nervous about things but there you go.
The city he'll be moved back to (where parents live) is about 2 hours from my city.
Has anyone here ever met an online friend in RL? Just for clarity I'm talking specially about friends not OLD or anything like that.