The thought of leaving Virginia and everything I knew was extremely tough. Going to a new high school with no friends terrified me. I was afraid of being alone, of not knowing a single person, or where anything was. Even worse, I would be leaving my girlfriend, Alexis, behind with whom I had been involved with for more than a year. When our relationship first began, we didn't know where it was going. Over the summer before leaving, it became clear that we wanted to make it last.
             When I left at the end of the summer of 2001, I quickly realized just how hard it was going to be. It took some getting used to, but we ended up getting a long-distance phone plan allowing us to stay in contact with each other every night. She was in Virginia, and I was in Georgia. We were hundreds of miles apart, but I felt like I was right next to her.
             There are times when the distance gets tough, but in the end, I know it will all work out. The distance allows me to establish my own identity here in Georgia and allows her to continue the friendships she has developed in Virginia. Before going to bed, we talk on the telephone. The conversations allow us to keep up with each others' activities and experiences throughout the day.
             On breaks from school we always see each other and realize how much we really care for each other. Sometimes it takes a little distance for a person to realize how much they care and love a person. There were times in the beginning when I had my doubts, but those were quickly laid to rest. I went back to Virginia for the summer and spent every day together as though we had never been apart. The summer went by too fast, and time to go back to Georgia was here. This was not a new experience, yet it was still extremely difficult. We knew what to expect and what it would take. I have to say that I have never been happier than I am right now. Being away from a loved one is tough, but it is not impossible.
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