How to Make Friends as an Expat

Build long-lasting friendships when you live in another county.

As an expatriate -- a citizen of one country living in another -- a big part of your adventure is making new friends. Getting to know fellow members of the expatriate community is the first step as you become acclimatized to your new home. Becoming acquainted with the folks whose homeland you are in may take a little more effort. Take the time to venture outside of your initial comfort zone. Your reward is a rich cultural experience and new friendships that expand your outlook on life.

Instructions

1. Learn about the country where you will be living before you go. Read travel guidebooks and history books. Watch documentaries. Become familiar with the culture to understand the customs, festivals, food and environment of your prospective friends.

2. Balance the time you spend chatting with old friends online once living abroad with real-time interaction with new acquaintances in the country where you now live. Make an effort to communicate with your landlord, local residents who work at the same company you or your spouse do, shop personnel, and people you meet in restaurants or cafes.

3. Learn the native language of your new home. Take a class to learn the basics and then participate in conversation-based classes. Share pictures of your family, samples of your home cooking and stories about your own life with fellow classmates and instructors. Show your appreciation when they share from their lives as well.

4. Involve your family in developing friendships. Rather than hang out with other expats, schedule a regular time to go to the park with your kids. As they play with other children, get to know the other kids' parents. Go to local activities as a family unit; as a small group having fun together. You make yourselves more approachable and open for conversations in this way.

5. Ask questions when you are shopping or exploring the countryside, even if it's only to ask for directions. Your question opens the door for further conversation. Thank the folks verbally who answer your questions. Politely ask those who engage in further conversation to join you at a nearby location for a cup of coffee or the favorite local beverage.

6. Invite new acquaintances to join you for lunch, dinner or a sightseeing excursion. Engage them to show you historic sites, teach you about local customs and introduce you to gardens, libraries and churches in the region.

7. Ask people to visit your home. Start with sharing a simple meal and then expand to include your new friends in family celebrations and holiday parties. When you are invited to their homes, accept graciously and bring a small gift to show your appreciation.

References

• The Telegraph: Expat Technology: Thoroughly Modern Expats
• ITAP International: Negotiating Expatriate Packages
• The Expert Expat, Revised Ed.: Your Guide to Successful Relocation Abroad; Melissa Brayer Hess; 2007