A virtual friendship
Love for computer technology
Alex is an avowed tech geek. He is the type of guy who spends a lot of time on his computer. His love for computer technology and the internet is so great that he even took up computer science in college. He hopes to work for Microsoft when he graduates. But for the time being, he uses his time to study, hang out with friends, surf the internet and visit a number of online forums and online chat rooms that cater to other computer science students all over the world.
These forums serve as a virtual hangout for students who are taking up the same course or those who have an interest in computers. Alex finds the company of other like minded people on the internet quite comforting. For one thing he doesn't need to explain his course and when he talks shop with these people, he doesn't need to explain terms or concepts or be met with blank stares or inane questions.
They always know what he talks about and the community thrives on having this clique, if you will. This loose organization of college students who pursue the same short term goals study hard and make good grades. They are all on the same boat, so to speak, so camaraderie is easily established even with just virtual friends who, if you think about it, are still strangers. Sometimes people even fall in love over the internet. It is all possible with this wonderful medium.
Online friends are important, too
Alex became a part of a group of online friends. They are a small group who became really close online. These people come from different countries and cultures but they had one thing in common: the Computer Science course they are taking in college and their pursuit to get that elusive diploma. They have become each other's support group and virtual study group members.
They can throw each other ideas for projects and also help in explaining difficult lessons to each other. They also serve as sounding boards for more personal matters like love or family problems. Alex became particularly close with Amanda, a student in the UK. They are of the same age, have the same band favorites and even read the same books. Some people in the forums teased them about their closeness but they both know that there is nothing romantic going on. What they have is a close online friendship that is purely platonic in nature and they are both happy with the situation.
Visiting friends in another country
Alex and Amanda often emailed each other and when time permits it, they even use VOIP to talk to each other. Their conversations are very interesting and they never run out of things to talk about. One day, Amanda told Alex that she will be going to America for a vacation.
She has some relatives in the country and she will be staying for a couple of months. Amanda asked Alex if he can come visit her since she will just a be a state away from where he lives. Of course, Alex excitedly agreed to the invitation. They saw each other during the summer vacation with Alex surprising Amanda with a small bouquet of flowers as a welcome gift.
After just a moment of awkwardness because it was the first time they have met, they warmed up to each other. They basically picked up where they left off, acting like long time friends even though it was their first time to really meet. They had a lot of fun talking, eating out and hanging out with Amanda's cousins. They knew right away that they will become friends forever and this made each one very happy.
A friendship that will continue to blossom
Alex returned home after his three day visit to Amanda. She also flew back to the UK that same week. Alex really had a lot of fun hanging out with Amanda and he wanted to show her how he felt. What he did was he went online and looked for a UK florist that will help him with his idea. He chose the services of Serenata Flowers, a well established florist in the UK that has built a reputation for quality service. He ordered a bouquet similar to the flowers he gave Amanda that will be delivered to her home. Amanda was quite thrilled when she saw the flowers and immediately called up Alex to say thank you. Alex was quite happy with Amanda's enthusiasm for his gift and vowed that he will be sending Amanda flowers during special occasions as a sign that their friendship will continue to blossom.