When you first move abroad, there is so much going on that making friends might be the last thing on your list. As Lauren and Samuele mention, you may be busy with your new job and other responsibilities, and you might feel like you have no time to make friends. However, this can be a huge mistake as having friends in your new city can really improve your quality of life as an expat. So, it is important to spend a little bit of your time investing in friendships. Perhaps you could attend a gathering with your work colleagues or look for a social event that is happening in your area. Whatever way you do it, investing in friendships will definitely benefit you in the long run.
As many of us know, the expat journey is full of ups and downs, highlights and lowlights. Friends are there to celebrate all the good times with you, and you are sure to create amazing memories together. On a less positive note, everyone is bound to have a few struggles along the way, and if you’re going through these struggles alone, they may feel way worse than they are. Having a friend during these times is crucial. They can be a shoulder to cry on or even just someone you can let your feelings out to. They can give you advice and help you through any difficulties that you might be facing. You could also be that support for your friend, meaning you both have someone to lean on.
Friends are like the family you choose. If you are used to spending the holidays with your family but can’t travel back home to celebrate with them while living abroad, your friends can be your family away from home, as was the case with Lauren. Her friends were the ones she spent the holidays with when she couldn’t spend it with her family back home. Investing in friendships can help to reduce feelings of loneliness and homesickness that tend to come up during these times especially. When you’re missing your family, you can always turn to your friends for support and comfort. Beyond the holidays, your friends are also there to celebrate personal milestones with you, which means you don’t have to skip the celebrations just because you’re far from home.
Investing in friendships while living abroad is also a great way to learn about different cultures. You might make friends with the locals, but also with other expats from around the world. So, not only can you discover a lot about your current home, you can also get to know different cultures. There is so much to learn from your friends about where they come from. Whether you share recipes from home or simply chat about what it’s like to live where you are from, there is so much new knowledge to be gained about different cultures. If you’re lucky, you might get to visit them in their home countries and experience their culture firsthand in the future!
The friends you make while living abroad are friends for life. Although you may move back home or on to another country, they are somebody you can always keep in touch with and visit during future travels. Although my expat journey is soon coming to an end for the time being, I have already made plans with my friends to return to Munich to attend Oktoberfest. As well as that, we have plans to visit each other in our home countries. The benefits of investing in friendships while living abroad are endless, and it will improve your expat journey!
To see the rest of this ongoing video series with our resident expat expert Lauren, visit our Facebook page. There you can share your feedback with us or even ask for advice — we may just use your question as the starting point for the next video!
Marie Pujanes studies European Studies in Dublin and is currently the Social Media Intern at InterNations. She is fascinated by all dogs, loves tea, and has a passion for all kinds of spicy food.
The feeling of being burned out can hit hard, especially if you’re away from a support network of close friends and family. Here’s an explanation of what expat burnout really is and some helpful tips to help you get through it — let’s bring some joy back into your global experience!
Life abroad is full of ups and downs, moments of loneliness, and moments of joy, but different perspectives can help you feel centered as an expat, and make you realize how good things are or could be. Here are five quotes which will help you see expat life in a new light.
We’re not saying that all expats across the world fall into one of these three categories, of course. Even so, if you’ve lived abroad for a period of time, you’ll doubtlessly have encountered at least one of these somewhat extreme types of expats.
Cross-cultural friendships can be a great way to expand your horizons and discover new things. Expats often make friends from all across the globe and are some of the most diverse groups of people out there. Read on to find out why our InterNations members value these friendships so much.
Many expats find it hard to stay in touch with family and friends, especially when they are in different places around the world. These tips will help you find a way to stay in touch with the ones you love and make sure you are up to date with their lives!