Expat friends vs. local friends

Everyone needs friends, but friendships become even more important when you have left your country, your home and members of your family. The transition experienced, although exciting, is also very unsettling, so having a strong support network is vital.

However, as an expatriate, there are other friendship factors to consider, like whether you should socialise with other expats or spend time with locals.

We have taken a look at the pros and cons of both:

Homesickness

Expat friends (EFs as we will call them), if from your country of origin, will allow you to touch base without you actually needing to fly home. They will understand your cultural references and give you moments of solidarity when everything is feeling a bit daunting. They will also be there when you want to spend those holidays, the Thanksgivings and the St Patrick’s days, with people who understand just how important it is to eat pumpkin pie, or dance an Irish jig.

However homesickness can be made worse if you cling to the familiar. It is important to remember that this new country is your home and immersing yourself in the new experiences available to you could really help you to settle in to your new expat life, rather than clinging on to the memories and customs of home.

Language

If you are trying to learn the language then surrounding yourself with locals will help you immensely. Even with the best intentions, when speaking to your EFs, there will always be the temptation to revert back to your mother tongue when things get difficult. Locals will also know all the idioms and complexities of the language that cannot be grasped from a book or an audio tape. Learning the language, the local way, will speed up the process and provide a cultural insight that is unrivaled by any other form of education.

On the other hand, constant translation can be very tiring so sometimes it is better to have the option of speaking in your native language. Laughing is also important for keeping life care-free and whimsical. But, while you should share humour with all of your friends, there are certain jokes which just do not translate. Instead of wearing the humour thin by trying to explain it, maybe just save these acquired witticisms for your EFs.

Cultural Immersion

Hanging around with locals will give you a real insight into the culture. They will help you find out the restaurants that serve the best food, steer you away from the tourist traps, and guide you through the foreign bureaucracies.

Having said that, there is value in sharing the experience of the unknown with other expatriates. You can have a lot of fun navigating the new country together and making the mistakes and faux pas that you will look back and laugh at, later on in your friendship. It is worth pointing out that EFs will not necessarily be from your home country and so spending time with them can be even more enlightening as you experience a new world together, filtered through a myriad of cultural knowledge. 

A balance

Bearing in mind the benefits of both, a balance of local and expat friends should help you get through  the more difficult moments as well as enjoy the good times. Immerse yourself in the new culture, make local friends and try and speak the language, but do so with other expats, who will empathise with your situation as only other expats can do. 

But, before we clock off, there is another group of people who are worth a mention - home friends. While they are far away, they should not be forgotten, so whenever you have a moment, spare a thought, an email or a phone call for your friends overseas. These are the people who will keep you connected to your home country, be there if you decide to repatriate and, importantly, remind you of your sense of self, the self before the expat.

Expat Explorer returns for another year! Tell us your experiences today. Just click here to start!

A View to Vietnam

Source: Fotopedia

Vietnam’s buzzing cities, cultural diversity, beautiful cuisine and enviable natural landscape have now set it firmly on the traveler map, and with good reason. But what about actually moving there? Does Vietnam deliver - not just as a carefree backpacker destination - but as a home in which to live, work, and bring up a family?

According to our 2012 survey of expats, Vietnam was ranked highly by those who wanted a good work-life balance and the opportunity to be challenged in their new country.  This trend was shown by the 70% of expats who were making an effort to learn and use the Vietnamese language, despite recognising its difficulty.

Expats also sung the praises of the Vietnamese locals, whose hospitality and friendliness was contributing to the ease with which they settled in.

Despite these positives, many expats said that their expectations of a better quality of life were not realised upon arrival, so it seems that the outside perspective of Vietnam may be different from the reality. This hit, among other issues left Vietnam ranking at only 27^th out of 30^th in terms of expat experience.

Are you an expat in Vietnam? Is this an accurate portrayal of your experiences? Have your say and tell us whether things have changed by clicking here and filling in the 2013 Expat Explorer survey. 

Expat Senses: Smells

Welcome to the last in our five-part series on Expat Senses. Over the past few weeks, we’ve brought you some of the best expat sights, sounds, tastes and textures from around the world. This week we’re hoping to come up smelling of roses by rounding everything off with a look at a selection of smells to delight your nose (well, most of them!)

Image source: Flickr

Lavender fields, Kent, UK

A visit to Kent’s lavender fields is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of nearby London. A popular scent for thousands of years, lavender was used in both ancient Egypt and Rome as a perfume and to sweeten the air. In the modern day the plant is renowned for its soothing qualities - so be careful not to drift off to sleep!

Image source: Wikicommons

New York Public Library, New York City, US

Any bibliophile will tell you, there’s no nicer smell than that of an old book – and if it’s old books you love, head to a library! New York Public Library is one of the world’s biggest, and holds over 50 million items. There are loads of old pages to flick through so if you’re ever in town make sure to stop by and indulge your literary self.

 Image source: Flickr

Kawah Ijen, Indonesia

Kawah Ijen is the one of the most famous sources of sulphur in the world and so strong is the supply, sulphurous gases emanate from cracks all over the volcano. As sulphuric compounds are responsible for the famous smells of garlic and skunk attacks, this might be one of the smelliest places in the world!

Finding your expat thang

One of the most important ways to settle in as an expat is to find a fantastic hobby that keeps you occupied and gets you out there meeting new people. That’s why we’ve pulled out four expat ‘types’ that you could be to find your niche and settle in quickly.

The Networker

Image source: Flickr

We all know how important it is to get out there and meet people. This can be especially true for expats who’ve moved away for work. When you first move you’ll probably be a long way away from your business contacts and in need of some new ones. Starting from scratch like this is a great excuse to get some cards printed up and run along to as many networking events as possible. If things go really well, the people you meet may end up being an important part of your social life as well as your business life.

The Culture Buff

Image source: Flickr

Wherever you end up, there’s bound to be a completely different atmosphere to ‘home’. Culture buffs love to get out there and experience all that there is to see and hear. Whether it’s galleries, architecture, music, or dance you’re bound to find a new passion. And if you bring a camera you can become the classic culture buff sub-type: The Photographer. Photographers love to record their daily lives. A great way to do this is if you have a smartphone is to download a camera app with filters to make your photos look as professional as if you were a real expert. You can then share these photos with your friends back home, either with through your social networks or your very own photo blog!

The Foodie

Image source: Flickr

Surely a key consideration before you go anywhere is the food. When you’re a long way away from your home comforts, it can be hard even to get the same type of bread that you’re useful. Foodies love the excitement of trying new things and always seem to have the nicest meals at home, as well as when they eat out. Why not befriend some and reap the benefits yourself?

Networker, foodie, photographer or culture buff? What type of expat are you? If you think you’ve identified another type, let us know in the comments!

Expat senses: Touch

Welcome to the latest installment in our five part series on Expat Senses. So far we’ve brought you some of the best sights, sounds and tastes from cross the globe. This week we get hands on and explore a variety of textures and surfaces from silk to mud!

Durian fruit, South East Asia

Believe it or not, this hostile looking object is in fact a fruit! It can be found in most South East Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Thailand where it’s commonly sold at markets and street stalls. If you can get to grips with its thorny outer shell you will be rewarded but be warned…it’s not only the exterior that packs a punch. The smell of this fruit is so repellent to some that it has been known to have been banned from public transport and hotels!

Source: Flickr

Vulcano, Italy

In the Aeolian Islands in Italy, one the volcanic island of Vulcano, you will find the famous Laghetto di Fanghi mud baths. Here you can cover yourself top to toe in mineral-rich sticky mud and relax as it dries - momentarily turning you into a statue - before washing it off in the hot springs. A brilliant excuse to get messy but also great for the skin!

Source: Flickr

Silk Street, China

Forget spikey or sticky, Beijing’s Silk Street in China is a treat for anyone’s hands. This market is home to 17,000 retailers selling a variety of luxurious, brightly coloured fabrics that will appeal to even the most discerning shopper. 20,000 visitors trek to Silk Street daily so why not join the crowds and treat yourself to a custom made suit or traditional qipao so you can take a memento of your trip home with you?

Source: Flickr

Rock climbing, Spain

The only way is up if you’re faced with a wall of rough, cold rock. If you’re a fan of rock climbing, or just fancy giving it a go, Spain is a great place to start. The region has a great climate as well as several popular crags located near to coastal towns and cities. Be sure to get a strong pair of gloves to help you navigate the nook and crannies and most importantly – don’t look down!

Source: Flickr

Furry hats, Russia

In the north of Russia, winter temperatures have been known to fall to -40 so it’s vital that you wrap up warm! The traditional Russian hat, or Ushanka, has been worn in the country for many years and was originally designed to keep troopers warm in the cold winter months.

Source: Flickr

Stay tuned for the last in the series – expat smells. If you have any favourite smells in your host country or smells that evoke memories of home let us know by tweeting us @expatexplorer.

Guest Blogger Series: Introducing…Grant Parker

We have the pleasure of introducing Grant Parker tweeting @gparker546 as our guest blogger today. Here, Grant talks about his move from the USA to Germany and the challenges of…

Finding My Feet In A New City

Picture source: Wikicommons

My expat experience began on a road trip as I was moving from Georgia to Seattle.  It was a pleasure seeing all the new and fascinating American locales, but so much time alone can be dangerous.  I left each city thinking “That was cool, but not as cool as Berlin.”  This slowly morphed into “Man I wish I were moving to Berlin instead of Seattle,” and somewhere around Minneapolis I finally landed at “Well…why aren’t I?”  With no real answer to that question I reached sunny San Francisco, turned back east, booked a flight to Berlin, and one month later I was here- no plans, no contacts, and no satisfactory explanation as to why other than “I wanted to see what would happen.”

I guess I hadn’t really thought through exactly what kinds of challenges an expat faces when he relocates point blank. Work in Germany doesn’t immediately present itself.  Apartments to rent don’t fall from the sky.  The work permit application process left me spinning, but you have to start at the bottom, so I became a frequent visitor of the ausländerbehörde- or work office.  On my third visit in as many days I got turned away for “filling out the wrong form” and, left with no other recourse, cried right there on the front steps.  “What have I done”, I thought.  “No one is helping me”. 

It didn’t improve company morale that I had already moved four times in a two month period; friends of friends of friends offered temporary abode.  One night I found myself sitting in the beautiful apartment of a complete stranger who was out of town, leaving me to man the fort.  Everything in it was so foreign, so personal to someone else, and I realised just how flighty I had been with my concept of home; how loosely I had held on to where I came from.  I tried to imagine a time in the future when I would have my own floor to walk on, and a bookshelf to hold my own books. The more time I spent trying to find these things the more I realised what it takes to get them:  command of the language, time devoted to searching through what is a notoriously internet-unfriendly city, and most importantly personal connections.  That night it all struck me as so unapproachable.  I felt like the only boy in the world.

That is until one small website start-up I came across who decided to take a chance on a suitcase kid and hire me on as a “marketing intern”, all because I said I wanted to learn.  That was the day that Berlin really started for me. 

Ironically, this website turned out to be the one site I had been hoping to find all along!  The company’s mission is to unite lost internationals like myself with the businesses and services we need to get our life going.  Apart from the myriad resources available for apartments, jobs, sports, etc., the team opened up my world personally.  The two founders- Mario and Anja- genuinely take care of me here; we cook, play ping-pong, and watch the snow fall from our office in Mitte.  At our monthly events I’ve met fellow internationals with whom I’m building good friendships, not to mention the business contacts.  Had I not stumbled upon this job early on in my Berlin career who knows how long I would have floundered around trying to establish myself?  The warmth with which they welcomed me and all expats has already forged strong loyalty, and let me feel like I’m on my feet again.  I’m very lucky, but most important to remember is that my success is not exceptional.  If I can do it, literally anyone can.

About the author

Grant Parker is a 24-year-old writer, traveller and avid gymnast currently setting up shop in Berlin, Germany.  He writes two personal blogs, studies SEO and computer programming, and has been working for g1obals.org since October.  

You can check out his other writings at http://apply.g1obals.org/blog and http://grantparkertumbler.tumblr.com/ or tweeting at @gparker546

2013 Expat Explorer survey opens today!

We are thrilled to announce the opening of our annual Expat Explorer survey. This is the sixth year we’ve run the research and we’re keen to get expats from all across the globe to get involved and share their experiences of living and working abroad.

Last year, more than 5,300 of you checked in from over 100 countries to have your say - making it the largest sample to date.

You filled us in on everything from social lives to career opportunities, from integration to raising your children abroad. Your input helped us to build a picture of what really matters to expats.

Last year’s Expat Explorer survey found that:

- Singapore was the home of the wealthiest expats
- Expats in the Eurozone were willing to weather the storm
- South East Asian countries were pulling in expats because of their unrivalled opportunities for increased earnings

This year, we want to go bigger and better and make sure that every expat, from Argentina to Vietnam, has their say.

So…what are you waiting for? Simply click here to take part and don’t forget to share the link with your friends and colleagues.