{"id":345,"date":"2011-07-21T17:59:45","date_gmt":"2011-07-21T16:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.iese.edu\/expatriatus\/?p=345"},"modified":"2011-07-21T18:01:57","modified_gmt":"2011-07-21T17:01:57","slug":"friendships-abroad-stretch-for-the-difference-or-find-comfort-in-being-alike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.iese.edu\/expatriatus\/2011\/07\/21\/friendships-abroad-stretch-for-the-difference-or-find-comfort-in-being-alike\/","title":{"rendered":"Friendships abroad: stretch for the difference or find comfort in being alike?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For an expatriate, having just arrived in an unfamiliar country, one of the primary aims is to develop new social ties. Getting introduced to local employees and other international assignees in the organization, meeting native citizens and engaging with local expat communities within your private time are main sources for creating new friendships abroad.<\/p>\n

Many people find that integrating into an expat community is quite easy and very rewarding at the same time. Being foreigners together, living through similar experiences and facing similar problems all create a common bond. Expat communities are usually very helpful and engage people into many shared activities and events, which enhance friendships. Joining a group of your fellow countrymen can ease feelings of homesickness, while the familiarity with language and culture will raise your comfort levels.<\/p>\n

However, there are also drawbacks with these social circles. Being part of a purely international community may distort views towards the host country, slow down integration into the local culture and lead to the development of an \u2018us versus them\u2019 mindset.<\/p>\n

Actively trying to make friends with native people in the host country could be worthwhile. On the one hand you may have to overcome potential barriers to getting to know locals, such as foreign language, unfamiliar customs, locals\u2019 settled lifestyles and their already existing social networks. On the other hand, these investments may allow you to be better integrated into the new culture and get the most out of your stay in a different country.<\/p>\n

Decision:<\/strong> Building relationships and making new friends is an inevitable part of building your positive expatriate experience. Having friendship ties with other expatriates or local people have both their pros and cons. Entering expat enclaves makes you feel understood, alike and is comfortable. Integrating into the local community is culturally more rewarding but requires an effort to overcome differences. So, what would you do, stretch for the difference or find comfort in being alike?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Building relationships and making new friends is an inevitable part of building your positive expatriate experience. Having friendship ties with other expatriates or local people have both their pros and cons. Entering expat enclaves makes you feel understood but integrating into the local community is culturally more rewarding, though more difficult as well. So, what would you do, stretch for the difference or find comfort in being alike?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":345,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18330],"tags":[18365,18341,18364,18362],"class_list":["post-345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-views-and-news-about-expatriates","tag-expat-community","tag-expatriate","tag-friendship","tag-integration"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t