Long distance relationships can be extremely hard, and many people say they will never work. However, they can work just as successfully as any other relationship as long as they are approached in the right way. Firstly, it is very important that you both understand the situation and that both parties understand exactly where it is going. If one partner or the other feels there is no future in the relationship then very quickly less effort will be put in, and such a relationship needs the effort to work. Therefore discussing the future early on is always very worthwhile.
Keeping in touch is hugely important. If you go for periods of time without communicating, your mind can wander and insecurity can set in, so make sure you continue to let each other know how important you are to one another and communicate as often as possible.
Financially, this can be tricky, but there are plenty of ways around such issues. Whilst emails and online chat rooms are good to keep in touch, they are no substitute for talking properly. Phone calls abroad may be expensive, but they can be far cheaper when using the right company. Finding a company that buys talking time in bulk will mean that you can get cheap phone calls whenever you want with no catch. With international calls being so expensive, it can be the phone bills more than the travel that ends up being too costly, and finding a company offering cheap phone calls can make a massive difference.
On top of the cost of international calls, travel can be an issue, but booking in advance and traveling off-peak can also help reduce these costs. Meeting regularly is one of the most important ways to keep the spark alive, so make sure you can put the time and money aside as often as you can.