Going on monday and worried about my mother

WOW - I agree with everyone who said this was a major guilt trip - and with everyone who said your passport is officially stolen!  Heck - call the police and report it stolen!!  You definitely have support here, and like many others have said... don't give up!!  You should still go if you can find a way!!!!!  Good luck, we are all pulling for you!!!

This was at JFK airport in New York. I was going to travel to Heathrow airport.

I even offered for my parents to talk to him before I went. My mom did not want have anything to do with him and loathes him. Ever since I started talking to him, she had always said, "Why can't you date a guy more local? He could be setting a trap! You don't know him well enough. His family could be in on it."

I will try to find a way to go, but I have little hope left. The thing that kills me is that once, a girl that my boyfriend had met on the internet stood him up. He said that he was waiting at the airport for a long time, before he finally figured that she was not coming. He told his parents that the girl was not coming, and it made him feel like an idiot. I messaged him as soon as I got home from NY. He figured that something like this was going to happen.

Your BF has a habit of meeting girls online and having them visit?  That would be a flag for me, but that is not the issue here, of course...

If you cut through all the drama here (and I am sorry this is happening to you), but cut through it and basically you are an adult and you have to now chose if you want to act like one or if you want to stay a child in your parents and family's eyes.  If you want to be an adult and you know that what you want to do is go to the UK to meet this guy, then call the police, get your passport back and fly out there.  Your parents/family/police friend/whoever cannot stop you.   

Yes, really there are much bigger issues going on here besides you leaving the country against your parents' wishes.  

Mirrajay- He has only met one other girl on the internet before me.

I feel like if I try something like this again, then something worse will happen. I feel like I am sure that they can stop me if they wanted to. 

This was at JFK airport in New York. I was going to travel to Heathrow airport.

I even offered for my parents to talk to him before I went. My mom did not want have anything to do with him and loathes him. Ever since I started talking to him, she had always said, "Why can't you date a guy more local? He could be setting a trap! You don't know him well enough. His family could be in on it."

I think most of us can relate to this at some level when we told our parents we were dating someone from the UK, engaged, or getting married. My mom made the same kind of comment about meeting a local boy when Tim and I started dating, but then she saw us together and realized how happy we were and in the end, her desire for me to be happy won out over anything else.  I also stuck to my guns about things and didn't let anyone - family or friends - ever talk me out of being with Tim due to the distance..

I will try to find a way to go, but I have little hope left. The thing that kills me is that once, a girl that my boyfriend had met on the internet stood him up. He said that he was waiting at the airport for a long time, before he finally figured that she was not coming. He told his parents that the girl was not coming, and it made him feel like an idiot. I messaged him as soon as I got home from NY. He figured that something like this was going to happen.

I can sympathize, though in my case it was at a bus station when I was 21.

I feel like if I try something like this again, then something worse will happen. I feel like I am sure that they can stop me if they wanted to. 

They can't. You are an adult and there is nothing illegal about going to another country to meet a significant other.

They can't. You are an adult and there is nothing illegal about going to another country to meet a significant other.

Well said, Rebecca!!  There's no clearer way to say this.  I will only add (again) that what they are doing is illegal.  They've stolen your passport!!  Good luck good luck good luck!!!!!

I agree that there are huge issues going on here with your family.  I think Phantomrose needs to get her important stuff out of the family home and put it with a trusted friend.  The family may not let her back in if she does manage to get on a plane to the UK, so she needs to have a back up plan not only for going to the UK but for coming back home again.  Ideally, move the heck out of your family home. 

I was talking to my boyfriend about my family and he even agrees that I do have to get out of here somehow. He offered a place for me in the UK, but I know I will have to get approved for some kind of visa and I have to show proof that I will be able to support myself. For now, I am thinking of finishing up my studies at college (it will take about another year or two), saving up money from working, and moving out.

I was talking to my boyfriend about my family and he even agrees that I do have to get out of here somehow. He offered a place for me in the UK, but I know I will have to get approved for some kind of visa and I have to show proof that I will be able to support myself. For now, I am thinking of finishing up my studies at college (it will take about another year or two), saving up money from working, and moving out.

Why not try for a semester abroad next year?

I was actually thinking about that too.

Or you could do BUNAC and work there over the summer?

I was talking to my boyfriend about my family and he even agrees that I do have to get out of here somehow. He offered a place for me in the UK, but I know I will have to get approved for some kind of visa and I have to show proof that I will be able to support myself. For now, I am thinking of finishing up my studies at college (it will take about another year or two), saving up money from working, and moving out.

If you don't sort this out with your parents, by either removing yourself from the situation or talking it through with them (difficult) you'll surely just go through the same thing in a year? Only then you'll be missing out on a year abroad rather than just a holiday.

Hard decisions for you 

Bunac has changed significantly.  It no longer allows people to work, only an unpaid internship that needs to be organised before the trip over.

Bunac has changed significantly.  It no longer allows people to work, only an unpaid internship that needs to be organised before the trip over.

According to the BUNAC Intern in Britain website, the internship can be paid or unpaid. If it is unpaid, then you need $2,500 in maintenance funds, but if it is paid, you only need $1,500 (from the Eligibility and Costs section). In fact, it seems that paid internships are the norm and unpaid internships are only offered under certain circumstances (from The Internship section).