WORRIED MY TRAVEL YEAR WILL SPLIT US

Dear Coleen

I’ve been with my boyfriend three years and we met at university. We’re both 24 now and share a flat together. We’ve always dreamed of travelling and planned to take a year out next year, but he’s just been offered a great job and feels he has to take it as he’s still in a lot of debt from studying.

I hate the thought of going without him, but it’s something I’ve always dreamed of and he’s given me his blessing to go. I’ll be able to meet up with friends along the way, so I won’t be on my own.

He suggested he could come out and meet me for a holiday when I’m in the US, but I don’t know if two weeks together is enough to sustain our relationship.

I’m completely torn.

Coleen says

I totally understand why he wants to take this good job and pay off his debt – it sounds mature and sensible. But I also get where you’re coming from – this has been a dream of yours and it’s a good time to do it before you’re tied down by work or family responsibilities.

Personally, I think you should do it and if you really miss him and travelling doesn’t turn out to be what you’d hoped, then you can come home at any point.

If you don’t do it, you might really regret it and you might even blame your boyfriend a bit because he couldn’t go with you.

Yes, you’re going to miss each other, but it’s easy to stay in touch if you make the effort – you can Facetime or Skype every night if you like and keep him in the loop with photos on social media.

If your relationship is good and strong, then it should be able to bear it.