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How to Make Friends Abroad? (Victoria)

It will be up to you to go about and build stability in your new life so that you can get on with enjoying life as an expatriate. One of the most important things that you will need to do to this end is making a core group of true and supportive friends. These will be your new support network in your new country but to find and make good friends requires time and effort. Firstly you need to take time to get to know more people so you may have to force yourself out of your shell and into social situations where you can meet people. You will then need to work out who are likely to be good friends for the long-term, and who is just interested in you because you’re a stranger!

Over time you will build up a good network of trustworthy, fun and good people, these people you can cherish and they will hopefully be lasting friends. Whilst you may meet some of these people on the first day in your new country, you have to commit a lot of time and effort to getting to know them well and moulding the relationship you forge into that of deep and lasting friendship. Don’t rush it – but at the same time, if you don’t put yourself out there and put yourself forward, how will you ever meet anyone. Know that the effort falls on your shoulders at least initially so get on with it! The sooner you have friends you can call on for support, the sooner your new home will feel like home.

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