So who is going to give me words of advice on how to cope with a long-distance relationship?
I've previously had trouble dealing with a relationship that was only cities apart, but this one's a whole other country. Arrgh...

Someone tell me nice happy-ending stories please!

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i've been in a long distance relationship for 5 years,

don't even bother unless you know you're going to be able to see each other with something at least resembling regularity.

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I CARRIED A WATERMELON

I have posted about my kr romance thousands of times but I'll happily do it again. My bf and I are from different countries and have been together for over 5 years. We lived apart for ages, and it was hard and heart-breaking but in the end I managed to move here. The day I walked off the plane, knowing it wasn't just a holiday and I wouldn't have to go back time anytime soon was one of the happiest of my life, but also one of the saddest because I was leaving my whole life behind to start a new one miles and miles away from home.
Long distance relationships are not fun, but when the person is worth it they can almost become bearable. I think the question here is why your previous relationship did not work, although the distance was not huge. If you think that this time you have found someone who's worth investing your time, money and affection in, then go for it, otherwise I don't think it's worth the hassle.
I don't really have many suggestions on overcoming the sadness of it all, but shopping is a good alternative

My husband and I were long-distance for the first 2 years of our relationship. We saw each other about once a month whenever one of us has a long weekend or whatever.

Then we moved in together, and it was grand and I wondered how we ever lived apart, because we were two halves of the same soul.

Then we got married and it was just live living together, but with presents.

The end.