Dear Miss Emily:

I met this guy online 7 months ago and we started talking. He was a nice guy and we fell for each other and start a relationship. He lives a world apart, but we keep in touch by phone calls and mail and we sometimes send presents to each other. I can say I'm deeply in love with this guy, and so he is to me. We devoted to each other and we even started talking about our future together. About few months ago, he offered me to come to the states this Fall to be with him and get a better job there. I was looking forward for the offer but then I found out that he was not 26 years old as what he admitted when we first met, he actually is 32. He lied to me about his real age. But it didn't stop me from loving me, even though he lied to me about his age, but I believe he has a reason and I was waiting for him to tell me the truth. But either way, about coming to the states, when I talked to my parents, they were against it. I told him about this and he was dissaponited. He told me if the problem was with me coming to the states all alone, he was willing to come and pick me up from the country where I live at now. I tried to talk to my parents again but their decision is final. Since then, my boyfriend told me that our relationship is not going anywhere. I have such a bad feeling that he might want to end up this relationship. I honestly don't want to lose him despite all the things he's done to me. He told me that he sold his house to buy a new one and start a life together with me. I still love him no matter what. But I must choose between my parents and him, while those two were dear to me. What should I do? Thanks for the advice.

-------------------------------Miss Emily's advice------------------------

I'm a little nervous. The problem with on-line dating is that you really don't know if the other person is being straight with you -- and this guy makes that point. If he's not willing to come visit you in your country -- get to know you there, and give you a little more reassurance he's on the up-and-up, I'm afraid the risk may be too great. Because if you decide to leave your parents, and this guy has misrepresented himself (and many do no matter how earnest they seem), I worry you'd be locked into something you couldn't free yourself from, and your parents would be too far away to help. Although the United States seems like a lure, it can fail miserably when it comes to protecting the rights of its own citizens, let alone someone visiting from another country. As well, the job market is in a abysmal state.