Tips for Making Friends While Teaching English Abroad

Moving to a new country to teach English is an incredible leap—it opens the door to adventure, discovery, and personal growth. But no matter how beautiful the temples or how exciting the night markets, what truly makes your experience unforgettable is the people you share it with. Friendships are the emotional glue that hold your TEFL journey together. They're what keep the hard days from overwhelming you and make the good days even more joyful.

It’s totally normal to feel nervous about making friends abroad. You’re adjusting to a new job, navigating an unfamiliar culture, and possibly speaking a language you don’t fully understand. The mix of excitement and isolation can be intense, especially in the first few weeks. But building a support network—even if it starts small—can ground you in your new home and help you thrive, not just survive.

The friendships you form while teaching abroad can turn into your local family. They’ll be the people who help you figure out how to pay bills, where to get cheap dumplings, or which pharmacy stocks actual ibuprofen. They’re also the ones you’ll end up hiking volcanoes with, spending Lunar New Year with, or swapping classroom horror stories over drinks at the end of the week. Connection transforms your entire experience—and the good news is, it’s absolutely possible to find your people.

Start with the People Around You

Your Coworkers and Fellow Teachers

When you're new to a country, your workplace is often the easiest and most natural place to start building friendships. Whether you’re teaching at a language center, international school, or public school, your fellow teachers are likely going through—or have already been through—what you're experiencing. That shared context creates instant common ground.

You’ll often find a mix of foreign teachers and local educators, each with valuable insight. Foreign coworkers can help you navigate the expat life, while local colleagues can be your cultural compass, offering advice on everything from classroom norms to what not to say at a staff dinner. Say yes to coffee breaks, staff lunches, and post-work drinks. Even if you’re more introverted, these small moments of connection can lead to deeper friendships over time.

Get to Know Local Staff and Admin

Don’t overlook the non-teaching staff—the front desk assistants, cleaners, drivers, and administrators. These are often the unsung heroes of your daily experience, and building friendly relationships with them can go a long way toward helping you feel at home.

A simple smile, a respectful greeting in the local language, or a genuine “thank you” can open doors. Over time, these casual interactions can turn into meaningful relationships. Plus, these are the people who know everything—how to pay your utilities, where to find the best noodle stall, or who to call when your aircon dies in the middle of a heatwave. Friendships built on respect and kindness can create powerful cultural bridges.

Say Yes to Social Invitations

One of the best things you can do early on in your TEFL journey is say yes—especially when it feels easier to say no. Getting invited out by a coworker or neighbor might feel intimidating if you're still finding your footing, but those first few “yeses” are what lead to real connection.

You don’t need to be the life of the party or say yes to everything forever. But in the first few weeks, being open to plans—no matter how spontaneous—can help you quickly feel more plugged in. Join that Friday night dinner. Say yes to the hiking trip. Tag along for karaoke, even if you don’t sing. These casual hangouts are where friendships start to form.

It’s normal to feel a bit awkward at first, especially if you’re in a group where you don’t know anyone well yet. But remember—everyone was new once. Most expats and even locals are excited to meet newcomers, and taking that first step often opens the door to deeper connections down the road.

Join Language Exchanges and Take Local Classes

One of the most effective—and rewarding—ways to meet people abroad is through language. You don’t have to become fluent overnight, but making the effort to learn the local language shows respect, builds confidence, and opens up entirely new social circles.

Language exchanges are especially popular in cities with strong expat communities. You might meet at a café, bar, or library, where locals and foreigners pair up to practice each other’s native tongues. Half the time you speak English, and the other half, you do your best in Korean, Spanish, Thai, or whatever language you're learning. These events are often casual, welcoming, and surprisingly fun—think of it as structured socializing with a shared goal.

Beyond exchanges, consider enrolling in a beginner class at a local language center. You’ll meet other expats also trying to learn the basics, and you’ll gain tools for navigating daily life with more independence. Even knowing how to greet someone, order food, or say “thank you” goes a long way—and locals genuinely appreciate the effort.

Learning the language isn’t just about grammar and vocabulary. It’s about building bridges. It creates opportunities for real friendships with people you might otherwise never connect with, and it makes your experience feel less like being a visitor and more like being part of the place.

Use Digital Tools to Connect

Technology has made it easier than ever to find your people abroad—you just need to know where to look.

Meetup and Facebook Groups

Start with platforms built for connection. Meetup is a global app that lets you find in-person events based on your interests—whether it’s hiking, coding, photography, or learning Mandarin. It’s especially helpful in major cities where the social scene might feel overwhelming or hard to break into.

Then there’s the tried-and-true Facebook groups. Search for expat, TEFL, or digital nomad groups in your city or country. You’ll often find posts about social events, housing, job openings, and even weekend travel buddies. Some groups are country-specific, while others are based around interests (like "Foodies in Taipei" or "Women in Vietnam").

Examples of what to search:

• “Expats in [City]”
• “English Teachers in [Country]”
• “Digital Nomads [Region]”
• “Language Exchange [City]”

Niche Expat Communities and Apps

Beyond the big platforms, there are region-specific sites and apps that cater to certain countries or lifestyles. For example:

• Expat.com – A global platform with strong communities in Thailand, Vietnam, and Mexico. Great for asking location-specific questions and meeting fellow expats.
• InterNations – Active in cities like Seoul, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Madrid, InterNations hosts regular social events for expats and professionals.
• Reddit – Subreddits like r/TEFL, r/teachinginjapan, r/teachinginkorea, r/Vietnam, r/JapanLife, and r/expats are surprisingly active and often filled with helpful people who’ve been in your shoes.

Just keep in mind: not all online groups are equally welcoming or active. Observe the tone before jumping in, and be respectful of local culture when engaging. If you're arranging to meet someone for the first time, always choose a public place and let a friend know where you're going.

Used wisely, these tools can help you find not just information, but actual friendship—and turn your new city into a place that feels like home.

Find Your People Through Hobbies

Shared interests are one of the easiest and most natural ways to form friendships—especially when you’re far from home. When you're doing something you already enjoy (or are excited to try), you naturally connect with people who speak the same "language," even if you're still learning each other's native one.

Sports and Fitness

If you enjoy being active, sports can be your shortcut to community. Many cities abroad have local gyms, dance studios, and martial arts centers that welcome foreigners. You’ll also find jogging groups, weekend cycling meetups, and low-key yoga sessions in local parks or on rooftops.

For something more social, look into intramural or amateur sports leagues—especially if you’re in a city with a sizable expat population. Whether it’s five-a-side football in Bangkok, dodgeball in Shanghai, or ultimate frisbee in Mexico City, these teams often hold social nights and post-game hangouts that can quickly turn teammates into friends.

Even if you’re not competitive, the simple act of moving your body alongside others, learning something new, or setting shared goals builds camaraderie fast.

Creative and Cultural Groups

Maybe your thing isn’t soccer—it’s sketchbooks, strings, or salsa. Great! Creative hobbies are powerful friendship magnets.

Art and craft classes, music workshops, language poetry nights, or traditional cooking lessons can become weekly rituals where you meet people outside the teaching world. Look for local dance schools, improv groups, or painting studios that offer drop-in classes. You don’t need to be “good” at it—just curious.

Many people teaching abroad use these hobbies as a way to dive deeper into the local culture. Taking a Korean drumming class or joining a Flamenco dance group not only introduces you to locals but gives you a richer understanding of the place you’re calling home.

Volunteer Locally

Sometimes the best way to find connection is through service. Volunteering lets you meet people who care about the community and want to make a difference—often the kind of folks who are thoughtful, welcoming, and open to new friendships.

Depending on where you're based, opportunities could include:

• Supporting local NGOs
• Helping at a community garden or food bank
• Walking dogs at an animal rescue center
• Assisting at disaster relief hubs or shelters
• Volunteering at underfunded rural schools on weekends

One particularly rewarding option is offering free English help in your spare time—whether it’s tutoring local students from low-income areas or running a conversation group at a community center. You already have a valuable skill, and using it to help others can forge meaningful relationships far beyond the classroom.

Volunteering also helps you step outside the expat bubble. You’ll meet people from different walks of life, gain new perspective, and get a deeper sense of belonging in your host country.

Attend Expat or TEFL Meetups

While it’s great to make local friends, sometimes you just need to swap stories with someone who’s been through the same visa drama, school culture shock, or hunt for real peanut butter.

Expat and TEFL-specific meetups offer that kind of camaraderie. They’re designed to connect people who are in the same boat—new to the country, figuring things out, and open to making connections. These gatherings can range from casual pub nights to structured panels, workshops, or language exchange events.

Even if you’re not a natural networker, these meetups give you permission to talk to strangers. Everyone’s expecting it, and most people are there for the same reason: to meet others and make their new life feel a little more like home.

You don’t need to leave with a new best friend every time. But the more you show up, the more familiar faces you’ll start to see—and those repeated, low-pressure interactions are where real friendships begin to grow.

Be the One to Follow Up

The truth is, most potential friendships don’t fall apart because of bad vibes—they simply fizzle out from lack of follow-up. If you meet someone interesting at a meetup, language exchange, or work event, take the initiative. Shoot them a message. Invite them for coffee or a casual hangout. Yes, it can feel a little awkward—but it’s the kind of awkward that opens doors.

You don’t need to overthink it. A simple “Hey, I had fun chatting—want to grab a drink this week?” is more than enough to get the ball rolling. People are often waiting for someone else to make the first move, and your invitation might be just what they needed to break through their own shyness.

Studies suggest it takes around 50 hours of time spent together to move someone from acquaintance to casual friend—and closer to 90 hours for a deep bond. That means it’s not about a single amazing conversation—it’s about showing up again and again. Consistency builds connection, and connection builds belonging.

Push Through the Hard Moments

Expect Some Loneliness

There’s a point in almost every TEFL journey—usually a few weeks after the honeymoon phase—where the homesickness hits hard. Suddenly, you’re not just excited and wide-eyed; you’re tired, overwhelmed, and wondering if you’ve made a huge mistake. This is totally normal.

Making friends takes time, and there will be days when it feels like everyone else is already settled and you’re the odd one out. But you’re not. Everyone goes through it, even the people who seem the most social and confident. It’s all part of the cultural adjustment curve.

Try to reframe that loneliness as a sign that you’re growing—not failing. It means you’re stepping outside your comfort zone. And it won’t last forever.

Be Brave (Even When It’s Awkward)

You’ve already done something brave by moving abroad—don’t let that courage stop at the airport. Every moment you push yourself to say hi, join the conversation, or accept an invitation, you’re reinforcing the kind of bold, open-minded person you came here to become.

It doesn’t always feel smooth or easy. But the more you do it, the easier it gets. You build social momentum. And one day, you’ll look around and realize you’re not just surviving—you’re surrounded by people you genuinely care about.

Friendship as a Long-Term Investment

Some of the best friendships you’ll make abroad won’t just last the length of your contract—they’ll stick with you long after your suitcase is packed and your teaching job is done.

You’ll share stories no one else quite understands. You’ll have someone to visit when you pass through Portugal or Seoul or Buenos Aires five years from now. And maybe, one day, you’ll meet again on a different continent for round two.

It’s also the diversity of these friendships that makes them so impactful. When you connect with people from different countries, backgrounds, and beliefs, you grow. You become more empathetic, more curious, and more globally aware. These relationships don’t just expand your social circle—they expand your world.

Conclusion: Build Your Community Abroad

Making friends abroad doesn’t always come instantly, and it rarely feels effortless. But it’s worth every slightly awkward introduction, every brave “yes,” every follow-up message you weren’t sure how to phrase. Because in the end, it’s the people you meet—locals, expats, fellow teachers—that turn your TEFL journey into something unforgettable.

Whether it’s swapping lesson tips over coffee, exploring new cities on the weekends, or just having someone who gets it when the power goes out mid-class—your community makes all the difference.

So put yourself out there. Say hello. Be patient. And trust that somewhere out there in your new home, someone is hoping to meet a friend just like you.

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