Why would anyone want to be friends with someone who lives hundreds of kilometres away? Why not call your long-time best friend from school? The benefits much exceed the disadvantages.
Here are some reasons why having friends from all over the world will make you a more wonderful person overall:
1 You never stop learning
The ability to share your languages is one of the most obvious advantages of having international friends. Even if you aren’t trying to learn your new friend’s language right now, you will pick up bits and pieces of it – whether it’s a simple phrase they use to greet their mother on the phone or a curse they use when they’re frustrated. You’re building a personal memory bank of phrases that could help you make a stranger smile on your next foreign holiday, or assist you if you get lost in an unfamiliar city.
2 You broaden your horizons
Consider how many cultural barriers we could break if we made friends from all over the world. As a result of your international friendships, you will not only become a “Weltbürger” (‘world citizen’), but you will also help to create a less divided, more inclusive world.
3 You’ll never be without a place to sleep
Wouldn’t it be great if you could always stay at a friend’s house, anywhere in the world, because hotels and hostels are generally one of the major expenses to incorporate into holiday plans? Although you shouldn’t make friends with someone solely to visit their country, it is a terrific motivator for forming new friendships. In this sense, meeting new individuals also means meeting new places and experiencing new things.
Finding true methods to travel in our commercial world can be difficult, and overseas friends can provide a window into the realities of local life in their own country. Opening yourself up to new individuals will lead to great new experiences.