If you're anything like me, you fantasized about having penpals when you were growing up.
There was always something magical about exchanging handwritten letters in the mail to a stranger across the globe. For whatever reason, though, I never really pursued that interest. Maybe I understood that sending letters was impractical when email was a free alternative, or maybe I was just too shy to actually put myself out there. No matter the reason, though, I didn't make any international friends until my high school years.
Let me tell you...becoming friends with people who aren't from America is a special thing.
There are so many benefits to branching out to international friends. I could go on for ages talking about the perks of having connections all across the globe, but to keep things simple I've compiled a list of a few of my favorite reasons that you may have never considered before.
1. You get to learn about places that you may never get to go to.
As much as I would like to, I don’t think that I will ever make it to every country on my bucket list. It’s a sad reality, but at the same time, I don’t have to feel too bad. I have friends who live in many countries that I will likely never get to go to, and they can give me an authentic taste of what it’s like to be there.
If I never make it to Germany, Egypt, England, Turkey, or any of the other countries represented through my friend group, I can still see what it's like being there from the perspective of someone who knows the country best.
2. You start paying more attention to global news.
Before having international friends I rarely paid attention to local news, much less news from all over the globe. Now, though, I feel like I'm checking up on World-Wide news daily in an attempt to keep up with the happenings in my friend's countries.
It also gives you an emotional connection to events that would be unrelated to you, otherwise. When I see that something has happened that could directly affect one of my friends, I go full worried-mom mode until I find out that they're okay.
3. So. Much. Food!
This is a more lighthearted note, but hey...food is an important thing. I've gotten plenty of food ideas from my international friends, as well as gotten a taste (no pun intended) of what their traditional meals are like through pictures and videos exchanged.
On top of that, a lot of countries have food-related festivals and holidays, which just adds to the awesome documentation of food and fun. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
4. You get to see what America looks like to a non-American.
This is one of my favorites on the list. For a long time, I never thought to consider what America was like from an outsider's point of view, but now that I have so many different people talking about what they perceive America to be like, it really causes me to think about my lifestyle and reconsider any biases I may have.
One of my absolute favorite things to hear my non-American friends talk about is American politics. Half the time they offer insightful opinions, and other times they send me Hillary and/or Trump-related memes. It's wonderful.
5. You form a different type of bond with people online.
Most communication between international friends is done solely online, taking away the physical aspect of friendship and replacing it with anything else that you can find that helps hold the bond together. Most people use voice messaging or video chatting as their alternative, but nearly anything can become a funny way to get to know one another, including Snapchat selfies, memes, and videos of you singing the KFC jingle (don't ask, trust me).
6. It's a great way to make friends if you are very anti-social and introverted.
This one is a little different from the rest, in the sense that it's more of a reason to befriend people internationally instead of a result of having already done so. As an introvert, I sometimes find myself struggling with wanting to see my friends face-to-face. Anybody who is an introvert will know what I mean when I say that we need a "recharge time."
Sometimes it's great to have a set of friends that you can talk to while you stay home in your pajamas all day. Online friends, in general, are a great way for introverts to recharge from particularly extroverted activities, and international friends add an extra layer of excitement by helping you learn a little bit about their culture while you snack on some popcorn and watch Netflix.
Making international friends has never been easier than it is today. It's 2016, the majority of us have smartphones and social media, so it's very easy to connect with people from all over the world. If you've never befriended anybody from outside of your own country, I strongly urge you to give it a try. It's a great experience for all parties involved.
