How to Make Friends After Moving Overseas

If you have recently moved overseas to a new country, there is a lot to get used to! Being alone in foreign place, so far from your family and friends, is usually the most difficult adjustment. If you're struggling to make friends in your new country after you move, read on for some helpful tips to be friendly and fit in!

Learn about the culture

When relocating to a new country, it's important to become familiar with the region's cultural norms. Not recognizing the differences of what constitutes acceptable behaviour could lead you to offend or confuse locals and hamper your friend-making. For example, in the U.K., holding up two fingers with your palm facing inwards to order two drinks in a pub won't get you on the bartender's good side--this is considered an obscene gesture in Britain.

Learn the language
Learning a new language isn't easy, but communicating with residents in their own language will facilitate friendships. Even if you are a poor speaker, being familiar with the native tongue will make it much easier to fit in and form relationships with locals. Don't worry about getting it perfect right away--becoming fluent in a language takes time. The more you try to communicate with locals, the more you will learn and the easier understanding and speaking the native language will be.

Make the first move
Don't be intimidated because you are the outsider--confidence is the most effective tool in forming friendships. Be friendly and approachable, make eye contact and smile. Since you are new to the country, use your lack of familiarity with the area to begin a conversation. Ask a passersby for directions, or the person beside you on the bus for restaurant recommendations. Many locals will be interested to know you're from another country, and will be happy to discuss their homeland with you.

Get involved
Go out to bars, cafes, and eateries by yourself often. Join clubs, volunteer organizations, a dance class, or a sporting team. Going out and getting involved in activities will surround you with others that share your interests, making forming friendships easier. Becoming immersed in the local culture will also help you assimilate and appreciate your new lifestyle.

Don't give up
Be patient and persistent! You won't make a brand new best friend over night. Remember why you likely moved abroad in the first place--to fill your life with new experiences, new culture, new surroundings and a new perspective. If loneliness starts to get to you, remember your old friends back home are only a phone call or click away!