Hello everyone. I need some advice on how to proceed with this girl I've been talking to for a while.
We've been talking to each other for a few years now on and off through Skype/Viber. By chance I was in Saigon for work in 2015 and we connected once in person, but due to a lack of time I simply couldn't make anything tangible happen. Despite this, we kept in touch and started talking everyday. We would share stories about our lives, ambitions and sing songs and there were many intimate things said. It was a very pleasant experience and I got so close to her. Unfortunately, I had a great opportunity in KL/Manila so I decided to take that. We grew apart a bit but still kept in touch.
I'm now in a position where I can spend much more time in Vietnam. But I'm still confused as to why she kept in touch with me for so long. She's not my girlfriend yet even though I care for her a lot. My main concern is that she's expressed the desire to live abroad in the past, particularly in my hometown in the US and has unsuccessfully applied for an au-pair visa and is now trying to get some sort of student visa. This is sending off red flags in my head along with the fact that she speaks above average English for a Viet girl.
We are similar ages -- mid 20s. I like her a lot and want to be with her, but I'm certainly not naive. I don't want to be used as a tool and then discarded. Can anyone shed some light on this situation?
Am I being paranoid? What would you do in my situation? Thanks for reading.