How to Build Cross Cultural Friendships

Research has shown that friendships are one of the key factors that influence happiness, self esteem, and satisfaction. Friends often affect the health and energy of a person as well. Cross cultural friendships are usually formed, like any friendship, around some shared interests or characteristics. Here are some guidelines to help you make the most of cross-cultural friendships.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• People from Varied Cultures or Nationalities
• Friendship

1. Make a genuine gesture of friendship and goodwill. Be open and enjoy the diversity of opinions, cultural customs and habits. Recognize that everyone has a different personality. Be patient and consistent.
2. Become genuinely interested in the other person. Share a meal and/or go to events, shopping or other venues together.
3. Be a good listener. Encourage your new friend to talk about himself/herself. Be flexible and let the conversation flow. Expect some awkward silences or gaps in the conversation as what you have said takes root in your friend’s mind. Don't expect to fill every gap in the conversation.
4. Try to learn a little about the culture of your intended friendship. Both you and the person with whom you wish to establish friendship have much to offer each other in terms of cultural knowledge and exchange. Examine your beliefs about your friend’s culture.
5. Share experiences from your own culture first; then invite your friend to share similar ones from his/her culture. Enter into your new friend’s frame-of-reference. Share his or her perspective by seeing things from your friend’s point of view.
6. Read books/periodicals, view videos, listen to tapes, observe people interacting in airports, malls, etc.
7. Show a genuine concern and consideration for your friend’s desires and opinions. Make sure that you are very clear about your expectations from your friend. Clarify these expectations and develop mutual goals for the friendship. Demonstrate unconditional support and encouragement to your friend.
8. Be open, sincere and transparent. We all depend on others. To build strong relationships, you must be open and sincere. To develop a cross-cultural friendship requires giving and receiving. Give a little of yourself by sharing your uniqueness and invite your friend to share his/hers.