As a loner in the southwest of the UK, I had been accustomed to keeping in close touch with other members of the fellowship in the British Isles by phone. However, in the Summer of 2011, I became even more of a loner. I moved to China to work for some months.

As I landed in Shanghai I thought, “How on earth am I going to stay sober here?” I knew that there were only a few members of the SA fellowship in China, and each was in a different city. I knew that I would not be able to connect face-to-face with other sexaholics. I planned to connect with the AA fellowship in the city during daytime meetings a few times a week, speak with my sponsor regularly by phone, and contact other SA friends using Skype.

Once in Shanghai, however, I was inspired by my sponsor to start using the International Buddy List to make more contacts with other members who are in the same position as myself. I also started attending White Book meetings using Skype. This was a great resource!

A friend from London set up the Skype meeting. It was just the two of us at first. We would meet every Thursday and reflect on passages from the White Book. The meeting grew rapidly however, as other sexaholics joined us. From the strength and support of other sexaholics, I learned that staying sober as a loner is possible. I started to see that if my Higher Power could keep me sober one day at a time in the UK, then he could do the same for me in Shanghai.

This call was an important source of support for me at a time when I most needed it. After a few weeks in China, I began to let go of the fear of slipping and gained a more serene state of mind—mostly through being able to connect with the wider fellowship through Skype. The Skype calls not only allowed me to share with other members in China on a regular basis; I could also call members of the fellowship in other countries who were in similar time zones.

Knowing that the meeting occurs every Thursday has been quite helpful for my recovery. I’ve planned my travels so that the meeting is a constant feature in my calendar. Since joining this particular meeting, I’ve learned that there are several other SA meetings held on Skype, in English, Spanish, and other languages.

Although we follow the SA meeting format, the meeting is open, light-hearted, and friendly. It provides an opportunity to meet members from all over the world. We regularly have attendees from South America, North America, and various European, Asian, and Antipodean countries. In January this year we had a “Four Continents” meeting, with attendees from Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Above all, our Skype meeting has reinforced my hope that—even though we come from all paths of life and speak many different languages—there is a common solution.