Like so many of my blogger friends, I love to travel and live the expat life, so when a new author and very close friend of mine, Kimberly Keilbach, came across this article, World’s Friendliest Countries, she knew who to send it to.
With the current economic situation in the U.S., many are heading abroad. Canada,Germany and Australia are at the top of a list of the countries most welcoming to expats. There, relocators have a relatively easy time befriending locals, joining a local community group and learning the local language.
This article is based on a survey of 2,155 expats in 48 countries, spanning four continents, between February and April 2008.
Expats were asked to rate their country in four categories:
* Their ability to befriend locals.
* The number that joined a community group.
* The number that learned the language.
* The percentage that bought property.
As far as forming friendships with locals here are the results of the survey:
Canada almost 95%
Germany, 92%
Australia 91%
United Arab Emirates only 54% of those surveyed said they’d made friends with locals.
One way to speed up integration is to join a recreational sports team or a community group. Almost half of respondents reported taking this action, with Germany leading the pack at 65%. Churches, organizations and schools provide good places to forge friendships with people who possess common interests and beliefs.
Another reason Germany scored very high is because, “it is also considered middle-of-the-road culturally,” according to Neil Payne, who works for a translation services company in the U.K. “Anyone you stop on the street can talk to you in English,” he says. What’s more, “working conditions are also very well respected and there is a nice delineation for work life and social life, which we don’t have in England.”
If you’re from England or an expat living in England, would you agree with his statement?
China, India and United Arab Emirates scored low overall because cultural differences from the West made integration difficult.
*If you’re an expat, how friendly is your country and why?
*If you’re not an expat, how friendly is your city/town/village and why?
I can’t wait to hear your comments, THANKS.
I’m British and live in the UK. I agree about working conditions not being very well respected but that probably more depends what field one is in. It seems everyone I know is ‘pushed’ to work longer hours/take on more responsibility for no more money, but I guess it’s like that wherever you go. I don’t really get what he means about the nice delineation for work life and social life… I wonder in what sense he means that.
My sister lives in Victoria BC Canada and I just returned a week ago or so from a visit. Canadians are extremely friendly people, and I should also say funny. There are lots of British ex pats living in Victoria by the way.
We retired to the small town we live in. (Pop. 2200) The folks in this town are all friendly and we were welcomed from day one. We visited for a week and got to know some people who have remained our friends. Six weeks after we visited we moved and have loved it here every since.
I’m Canadian and live in the Netherlands. I’ve found Dutch people to be friendly at first, but it is difficult getting past initial pleasantries. It is very hard to become a member of a Dutch social circle, since they remain a tight-knit culture. However, I’ve heard that once you break in, you are in the “club” for life, and they really are a warm group of people. As well, they don’t usually like to mix business with social relationships, so it is hard to meet and foster deep friendships with colleagues.
okay, so let me get this straight. You LEFT the rat race, live in Belize, and have a view of THAT ocean??
oh sweet jesus- move over. I’m moving in with you.
I think that San Francisco would be a great place for expats from anywhere in the world. This city is so multicultural and people are so friendly.
Kit,
I think he means in Germany, people/companies place more importance on having free time plus they get fabulous vacations, (urlaub?) paid extra, I think for holidays. Please let me know if I’m right or wrong. The U.K. sounds more like the U.S.
Elizabeth,
Now you’ve made me want to visit Canada. So it’s right what the survey shows.
Gramma Ann,
That’s a tiny village. Great to hear how everyone is accepting.
H,
I honestly thought the Dutch were easier to get to know and get close to. Interesting.
Vodka Mom,
Yes, we did. But sorry to disappoint you. We thought we were going to stay for the rest of our lives, but returned after a year. I still go back as I feel close to the island and have friends there.
Brenda,
So good to hear from you. How are you feeling? I know Parisians far prefer San Francisco to southern California. There’s more culture there, they say.
A Broad Abroad,
I loved your funny book about life in Thailand. I was there many years ago at 18, and hated how all those Thai girls got attention, but I didn’t. I wonder why? Can’t wait for your next book.
I LOVE Germany! I spent a month there and fell in love with the people and the ease of getting around. If I were to move outside of the U.S., it would probably be there. Thank you for this post! It’s nice to know there’s great places to live. I currently live in a bubble.
I’m a Brit living in Sweden. It’s very difficult to make friends with Swedes, but once you get to know them, then they make very good life-long friends.
The Swedes value family and free time, so it’s quite easy to take time off without people raising an eyebrow. We get 16 months of paid parental leave and we’re also paid by the State to look after sick kids (until they are 12).
I have lived in Mexico, Venezuela, and Paraguay.
Mexico was very friendly but a bit stand offish once past the pleasantries. My husband has Mexican family so this did not effect us too much.
Venezuelans are open people as individuals but tend to hold many predispositions towards Americans. We lived there for 20 years and made life long friends. However, the younger generation is openly anti American and so we felt this the last few years.The personal security is terrible! Having been expelled from the country by Presidential decree would make me say that it is not a good place for US citizens but perhaps easier for Europeans and Arabs.
Paraguay is by far the friendliest country I have lived in. The people will literally take you in off the streets into their homes.
We have been here 8 months and are already very well integrated into our community, our church and my husband is on the board of the Paraguayan American Cultural Center which has given us many outlets for meeting people.
I love Ghana, West Africa. The people are happy and friendly and cheerful as a rule. It is easy to joke and have fun with them, and they love to be helpful. I once broke my leg and sitting in the back of the car waiting for my dh to run an errand, a woman walked by, looked in, saw the cast up to my thigh and said, leaning into the window, “Oh, Madame! I will pray for you!” Totally sincere. Yes, she was a stranger. Living in a developing country of course has many drawbacks if you have no patience and want your creature comforts western style. I’ve learned to be patient — mostly 😉
Hi
I am originally from Israel
I lived in three countries
U.S.A as a kid
Venezuela and Canada as an adult
I loved living in all 3 countries. I found the people welcoming, friendly and very warm.
I believe that it also depends on the expat. If the expat is open minded, and doesn’t jump to conclusion so fast than the local people at the country he is living will be more welcoming.
What I mean to say it is not just the people of the country you are living in, It is also about you, and how you react towards them.
Sharon
From Virginia, I currently live in Myrtle Beach, SC, where curiously I feel more like an expatriate sometimes than I did when we lived in Holland or France. The Hague was fabulous because there was instant infrastructure everywhere for tag a long spouses and my husband’s company provided an introduction to several Dutch friends who we continue to keep in touch with and visit over 10 years later. Being very much an international city, meant there were always lots of people coming and going from various countries who were in your same situation… I think this made many people open to building new friendships. We lived in a rural town in France, which was fabulous in one way, and very difficult in another. I was a new mother, which made it difficult. We were only there for a little over a year, and at that point I felt as if I was just getting used to everything. The people were very polite and to themselves… but so were we.
Belize! How wonderful! I’m glad things are going well for your family.
Hi Sonia,
Glad you liked the article. From my own experiences, I have found the Japanese, the British, and Parisians to be some of the friendliest people on the planet.
Here in the United States, I think Oklahomans, Texans, and (believe it or not) New Yorkers have been the most helpful to me in my travels.
Truthfully, though, I think you get what you put out there; if you’re friendly and respectful, others tend to be as well.
I remember hearing a story once about a young man who drives into a small town and asks one of the old timers there, “Are the people here friendly?”
The old timer thinks about it for a minute and says, “That depends. Were the folks in the last town you visited friendly?”
The young man immediately answers, “No way! They were sullen and rude and completely unsociable.”
To which the old man replies, “Uhuh. Well, they’re the same here.”
Interesting post Sonia. I found Australia really good but I also have family living there as well which helps. In New Zeland you’ll get the same friendliness. I think in every country you’ll get some bad as well where there are unfriendly people but overall most people are helpful. My eldest duaghter when she lived in San Diego loved it. She only met one rude person the entire time she was there. I think overall everyone here in New Zealand are really friendly and will go out of their way to help people from other countries out. Great post!
Take care
Liz
I was born in Canada, and still live in Canada — thought I’m now about 3,000 kilometers from where I was born, which almost qualifies me as being expat. (F’rinstance: 3,000 kilomters from London, England would put you where?)
I find that wherever you travel (and I’ve been on four continents), if you’re friendly to the locals, they’ll be friendly to you. Generally speaking.
Lady Glamis,
I love your comment about “living in a bubble.” I think that happens when you get so focused on work and projects. I feel that too.
LadyFi,
All my American friends are shocked by the time off you get in Sweden with a new baby and kids. What a lovely country.
Jungle Mom,
Interesting what you said about the younger generation of Venezuelans. Never realized that.
Miss Footloose,
I love your story and realize that’s what I so miss in a developed country where most are so busy, they don’t notice.
Sharon,
Thanks for your visit. I agree with you on the importance of being kind to locals.
Margo,
So nice to meet you. I laughed with your first comment about feeling like an expat in SC. I’m glad to hear that the Dutch friends are still in touch with you. Sounds like you have an interesting life, traveling around. Where next?
Kimberly,
Love your comment on Oklahomans, Texans and New Yorkers being the friendliest you’ve encountered.
Mad Bush Farm Crew,
You live in a country I’m dying to visit. I’ve heard nothing but good about NZ.
Rob-bear,
I need to visit Canada. My son is going to Toronto soon. He lives in Michigan.
We have a home in Tucson, Az and we live on the ocean in a condo in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. I’m happy to say that I spend most of my time in this wonderful fishing village in Mexico. We have been living in Mexico for the past 3 years. I find the people polite, friendly and very hard working. I actually feel safer here than in Tucson!