Making Friends Abroad: How to Connect with Locals and Expats
Moving to a new country is exciting! Making friends there can be a little more complicated.
When you move abroad for a teaching job, a new career, or simply a change of scenery, there are plenty of practical things to figure out. Where will you live? How will you get around? What should you expect at work? Where is the nearest grocery store?
But there is another important part of settling into life abroad that can sometimes get overlooked: building a social life!
Making friends abroad can take time, especially when you are starting from scratch in a place where you may not know anyone. The good news is that you do not have to wait for friendships to happen by chance. There are plenty of ways to meet locals, connect with other expats, and gradually build a community that makes your new country feel like home.
Why Making Friends Abroad Can Be Difficult
At home, friendships often develop naturally. You might meet someone through school, work, mutual friends, a favourite coffee shop, a sports team, or your neighbourhood.
When you move abroad, many of those familiar opportunities disappear.
You are suddenly building a social network from the ground up, often while adjusting to a new culture, workplace, language, and daily routine. That’s a lot of change all at once!
It is completely normal for this to feel awkward at first.
One of the best things you can do is give yourself some time. You are not expected to arrive in a new country and have a close group of friends within your first week. Building genuine friendships takes repeated interactions, shared experiences, and a little initiative.
And honestly, some of the best friendships can come from the most unexpected places!
Start with Other Expats
One of the easiest ways to meet people after moving abroad is to connect with other expats.
Look for local expat groups on Facebook, community websites, social media, or online forums. Many cities have groups specifically for newcomers, international workers, teachers, or people from particular countries.
These communities can be especially helpful when you are new because everyone understands what it is like to arrive somewhere unfamiliar.
You can ask questions, attend meetups, find people to explore with, or simply grab a coffee with someone who is also looking for new friends.
And remember, connecting with other expats does not mean you have to stay in an “expat bubble.” It can be a comfortable starting point while you gradually become more familiar with your new community.
Make an Effort to Meet Locals
Connecting with other expats can make the transition easier, but getting to know local people can give you an entirely different experience of your new home.
Locals can introduce you to restaurants, neighbourhoods, traditions, events, and everyday experiences that you might never discover through a guidebook.
So how do you actually meet them?
Start by looking for places where people naturally spend time together.
Try a local sports league, fitness class, book club, cooking class, volunteer organization, community event, or hobby group. If you enjoy hiking, look for a local hiking group. If you love photography, find a photography club. If you enjoy live music, check out local events.
The activity itself gives you something to talk about, which can make those first conversations much easier. Just start with the activity, ask a question, and see where the conversation goes!
Learn a Little of the Local Language
You do not need to become fluent before you start making friends.
Even learning a few basic phrases can make a difference!
Being able to greet someone, order food, introduce yourself, or ask a simple question in the local language shows that you are making an effort to participate in your new community.
Language classes can also be a fantastic way to meet people. You will likely find yourself surrounded by other people who are also trying to learn, which creates an instant shared experience.
And if you make a mistake? Laugh about it and keep going!
Nobody expects you to get everything right immediately. In fact, those little language mistakes can sometimes become the beginning of a great conversation.
Say Yes to Invitations
When you first move abroad, you may receive invitations that feel a little outside your comfort zone.
Someone from work invites you for dinner. A neighbour asks if you want to join a weekend activity. Someone you met once at a meetup invites you to a larger gathering.
If it feels safe and you are comfortable going, consider saying yes!
You do not have to become best friends with everyone you meet. The goal is simply to give yourself more opportunities to connect with people.
A casual coffee can lead to a weekend outing. A coworker’s dinner can introduce you to their friends. A local event can turn into a regular activity.
Friendships often develop from small, ordinary moments.
And sometimes, you just have to put yourself out there a little!
Find a Place You Enjoy Returning To
One of the simplest ways to meet people abroad is to become a regular somewhere.
Find a coffee shop you like. Join the same fitness class every Tuesday. Visit the same market. Take your dog to the same park. Attend the same weekly meetup.
The more often you see the same people, the easier it becomes to recognize familiar faces and start conversations.
You do not have to walk into a cafe and announce that you are looking for friends.
Sometimes friendship starts with something as simple as:
“Hey, I think I’ve seen you here before.”
Consistency creates familiarity, and familiarity makes social connections feel much more natural.
Explore Your New Country With Other People
When you move abroad, there can be a temptation to spend all your free time exploring by yourself.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying some solo adventures, but inviting someone along can turn an ordinary outing into an opportunity to build a friendship!
Ask a coworker if they want to check out a new restaurant. Invite someone from your language class to explore a local market. Join a hiking group. Look for walking tours or community events.
Shared experiences are one of the easiest ways to build connections because you are creating memories together rather than simply sitting across from each other trying to think of conversation topics.
And let’s be honest, exploring a new country is usually a lot more fun when you have someone to laugh about the experience with!
Do Not Underestimate Your Workplace
For many people living abroad, coworkers become an important part of their social circle.
This can be especially true for international teachers and other professionals who move overseas for work.
Try getting to know your colleagues outside of work. Join them for lunch, accept an invitation for coffee, or ask whether there are any local events or activities they recommend.
Your coworkers can also be an excellent introduction to local life. They may know the best restaurants, community events, neighbourhoods, or weekend activities.
Just remember that workplace friendships do not have to happen immediately. Be friendly, stay open, and let relationships develop naturally.
You never know when a coworker might become your weekend adventure buddy, your go-to restaurant recommendation person, or even a lifelong friend!
Use Technology to Find Your Community
Moving abroad does not mean you have to rely entirely on chance to meet people.
There are countless online communities dedicated to connecting people in different cities and countries. Search for local groups based around your interests, nationality, profession, hobbies, sports, volunteering, or other communities that matter to you.
You can also look for local events and recurring meetups rather than one-time events.
Recurring activities can be particularly useful because you have a chance to see the same people more than once. That second or third interaction can feel much easier than introducing yourself to a completely new group every time.
A quick search online could be all it takes to find your new favourite group!
Be Open to Friendships That Look Different
One of the fun things about living abroad is meeting people you might never have encountered at home.
Your new friends might come from completely different countries, generations, professions, or backgrounds.
Some friendships may be short-lived because someone moves away. Others may last for years. You may make friends with locals, fellow expats, coworkers, neighbours, or other people who are simply passing through.
Try not to put too much pressure on every new connection.
Not every person you meet needs to become a lifelong friend.
Sometimes a person is simply there to share a great afternoon, introduce you to something new, or make your first few months in a new country feel a little less unfamiliar.
And that’s okay! Every connection can become part of your experience abroad.
Remember That Building a Community Takes Time
Perhaps the most important piece of advice for anyone trying to make friends abroad is to be patient.
It can be easy to look around and think that everyone else has already found their people.
They probably haven’t.
Building meaningful friendships as an adult takes time, and doing it in a completely new country adds another layer to the process.
Keep showing up. Try new things. Start conversations. Accept invitations when you can. Learn about the local culture. Stay curious!
Eventually, the unfamiliar faces around you start becoming familiar ones.
And one day, you may realize that the country that once felt completely foreign has started to feel a little bit like home.
Ready to Start Your Adventure Abroad?
Moving abroad is about more than finding a job in another country. It is about building a life, discovering a new culture, meeting new people, and creating experiences that stay with you long after your first day overseas!
At Footprints Recruiting, we help teachers find international teaching opportunities and take the next step toward living and working abroad.
Your new adventure could start with a job, but it might end with something even better: a place that feels like home and a whole new community to call your own.
Ready to take the first step? Explore international teaching opportunities with Footprints Recruiting and start planning your next adventure!
Apply Now
Useful Resources for Teaching Abroad
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