ABSTRACT
Even though it is clear that social support is very important for expat success, we actually do not know much about how expats make new friends when abroad. This chapter introduces a new process model developed based on 72 interviews with expats. The process starts with having the motivation to make new friends, getting in touch with potential friends and building a relationship with them. Each stage is influenced by many different factors, and it can be helpful to understand how it works, and also know where one can influence it. The chapter also discusses how expats who arrived during the COVID-19 pandemic tried to build a new social network at a time when COVID-19 restrictions put a severe limitation on socialising opportunities. The chapter includes boxes on compound living and how to make local friends in Denmark and South Korea.
