S1/E26: #Breaking Out of the Expat Bubble - How to Make Friends Abroad with Marian van Bakel

Show notes

When expats relocate abroad, the process of building local friendships plays a crucial role in their ability to adapt and thrive in the new country. Beyond practical adjustments like finding housing, navigating public services, or learning the local language, establishing personal connections within the local community provides cultural insights, emotional support, and a sense of belonging. Local friendships help expats bridge cultural gaps, offering firsthand knowledge of traditions, norms, and social etiquette that can’t always be learned from books or formal training. These relationships are essential for both personal well-being and long-term satisfaction with the expat experience.

Culture Chat In this episode, Frauke and Marie-Christine welcome Marian van Bakel, an associate professor at a University in Denmark, a consultant at intersango and book author. The trio discusses the process of integrating into local communities, breaking free from the expat bubble, and forming meaningful bonds with locals. In her recent book 'Breaking out of the Expat Bubble', Marian equips expatriates with tools to forge meaningful intercultural connections and friendships, both at work and in their personal lives. Drawing on nearly two decades of research and featuring many insightful expat stories from around the globe, her book offers actionable advice for expatriates, organisations, and societies alike.

Connect with Marian: linkedin.com/in/marian-van-bakel-7a00a82

Website: www.intersango.dk

Book: van Bakel, Marian (2024). Breaking out of the Expat Bubble: How to Make Intercultural Connections and Friends (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003246855

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