As someone who has been to more countries than her age, I have been very lucky. I’ve spent extended amounts of time in Spain, France, and Brazil, and, while there, have made lifelong friendships.
Here are just some of the reasons that having foreign friends is pretty damn cool.
1. A Reason To Go Back
We’ll start with the most obvious one. Leaving a new city that you’ve fallen in love with can always be hard, but with friends there, you always have a reason to back (and even a place to stay)!
2. People Who Have Different Concerns Than You
I can’t tell you how nice it was to be able to talk to my French family/friends around the election time and have the conversation start off with something other than American politics. My Austrian best friend may be thinking about her upcoming presidential election, and I can hear about that for a change.
3. People Who Have Different Traditions/Beliefs
One of the coolest things I have ever experienced is celebrating my 17th birthday in Brazil with a Brazilian family. I got to see how Brazilians celebrate birthdays, experience the cultural differences, and, of course, be a little spoiled with a handmade layered cake that lasted us for days!
4. Someone Who Outside Your Sphere
It is easy to be caught up in the hustle bustle of your everyday life, but when you have someone who doesn’t care (or understand really) about your sorority or clubs or the campus gossip it’s nice to take a step back and talk about something completely different from in what you’ve been immersing yourself.
5. Someone Who Has Different World Views
The issues that are imperative to me in Washington D.C. are not going to be the same as my friends in Paris and my friends in São Paulo because it each country has its pressing problems and its focuses, and with friends to remind you of that you get to see so much more of the world.
6. Someone Is Always Awake
This is more true for certain parts of the world than others but whether you are up early or late, with friends across the world odds are someone will be awake and there for you
7. You Have a Huge Number of Recipes
Be it homemade crepes that my French brother made, Brazilian sweets, or Austrian dishes, I not only had the chance to eat these amazing foods with strong cultural importance in each country, but I have (some of) an idea of how to make them back home!
8. You Know Random Word in Different Languages
Somehow, I can understand random German words that my Austrian friend taught me and the first thing I could say in Portuguese, before hello, yes, or no, was ‘rain’. The conjugation of French verbs may forever be my demise, but my cook of a French mama made sure I know every obscure vegetable there is (such as leek, which I didn’t even know in English. It’s le poireau if you were wondering).
9. You Look Forward to the Rare Visits
Yes, it sucks that you can hardly see a close friend, but when you can see him/her, it will be all you look forward to for weeks. Those few but treasured memories you make together will mean the world when you’re separated again.
10. And Finally, You Have a Friend for Life
You’ll never forget your time abroad, and especially not the people you spend it with. And of course, you’ll always keep their couch in mind.
