Good fuck some of the stuff on here. @Cop "per_pipe being blunt its over, going on a break is code for the other person having the hots for someone else and they are not too sure so you are the back up plan. Just tell her its either on or off there is nothing in between then you can get on with getting over the relationship. None of this sitting at home hoping to get the call or text from her saying she made a mistake and wants to try again.
As other lads have said cut the contact, no calls or texts and no fucking Christmas, birthday, dog birthday or any other such fucking cards.
All you can say is that you are willing to continue and ask her to be honest and is she using the placement as an excuse and to not be stringing you along - after 4 years you deserve a bit of honesty from her — I’d let her off if she keeps going on about a break - that’s just her not having courage to say what she has to say. Be done with it and move on.
No such thing as a break mate. It’s on or off. Sometimes these things just run their course. Maybe ye’ll get back together, maybe ye won’t, but if it’s off you cut all contact and act like ye are broken up. You don’t want to end up as the fallback option or a shoulder to cry on.
I was in a similar situation in my youth and we were half on half off for about 6 months afterwards and it was a complete fuck of a thing. I ended up just completely breaking it off for a finish and while it was tough going for a while it was the best thing I ever did. I sowed oats for about 18 months after before I realised I was ready to settle down again. Glad I had that window now. Makes it easier to settle down, when you decide to, knowing you sampled the options out there.
You are only a young buck plenty time for being serious and settled when you are an old man. Go travel as someone suggested or even move up to Dublin or over to London for a couple of years and enjoy yourself. A young lad operating in this internet dating era in a place like Dublin or London could do untold
For what it’s worth a mate of missus is getting married to her childhood boyfriend next year and they split for two years in the middle. So it can happen but you need to proceed as if the relationship is over and see how the cards fall after that. My gut tells me like all women she’ll get a sniff of you with someone else and then want you back. At which point you tell her to go fuck herself