Why Don’t They Invite You for a Beer Abroad? 🍻

Many expats eventually realise that, despite living in a foreign country for years, forming deep friendships with locals can feel like an impossible mission. There are no spontaneous “let’s grab a beer” invitations, social plans often need to be scheduled weeks in advance, and relationships tend to remain more on the surface.

Why is that?
In some countries, social circles form during childhood or university years, making it difficult for outsiders to break in later. In Scandinavian countries, for example, friendships are often closed groups, and it takes a long time to be accepted into such a circle. In Germany or Switzerland, social life tends to be more structured—there’s less of the casual “I’ll drop by for a coffee” or “let’s grab a drink” kind of spontaneity.

Work relationships aren’t always open to friendships, either. While in Hungary, it’s common for colleagues to hang out after work, this isn’t the norm everywhere. In many countries, people prefer to keep their work and personal lives separate, making it harder to build deeper connections with coworkers.

Of course, there are places where socialising works differently. In Italy, Spain, or Latin America, for example, people are generally more open, conversations start more easily, and after just one meeting, you might already get invited for a drink.

💬 What’s your experience? Did you find it easy to integrate abroad, or was it challenging to make local friends? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇

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