An Overseas Friend

Advantages of having an overseas friend / friends from another country

Why should we have overseas friends? Of course, we would get to learn more foreign languages. By knowing more foreign languages, we would be able to communicate well with the people in other countries. We will have lesser miscommunications with foreign people.

Searching online for the cultures and practices of other countries might be help us to understand their cultures, but how true can the information be? Thus, by having overseas friends, we would have a more factual understanding of their cultures and practices. With this, we will be able to put ourselves in their shoes and understand them better. We will also not do things which will offend the locals in their countries. For example, some hand signs may be offensive in some countries, while it may be not offensive in other countries. The video below shows some hand signs that is not to be used in certain countries.

Being able to make friends with people from another country and learning about their culture will prevent bias towards oneself. This will allow us to be more sensitive to cultural bias, not to be self-centered, selfish and make stereotypical assumptions based on their race or nationality. We will then be more open up to make friends with them regardless of race and religion.

Our friends overseas are living in a totally different environment and thus may have different mindset which can help us see our problems from another perspective and broaden our minds, making us a more understanding person.

If you are able to visit the house, the first-hand experience to enjoy their local food, try on their traditional costumes and to live in their lifestyle will definitely be beneficial for us. Also, exchanging souvenirs such as a key-chain with orchid flowers will be meaningful. In this way, we will know the national flowers of other countries as well as other national icons.

 “Friends from different cultures are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Each one helps you see the larger picture.”