Making friends as an adult is universally acknowledged as difficult. Add the complexity of living in a foreign country, and the challenge multiplies. But in the latest episode of Translate This!, Richard reveals a fascinating paradox about expat friendships that anyone who's lived abroad will recognize. Expats Are Better at Breaking the Ice Here's what might surprise you: expats are actually better at forming initial connections than most people. When you're far from home, navigating a new culture, and missing familiar comforts, you develop a natural ability to break through social barriers quickly. The shared experience of being an expat creates instant rapport. There's an unspoken understanding, a mutual recognition of the challenges and adventures that come with living abroad. This allows expats to form meaningful connections much faster than they might in their home countries. The Catch: Expiration Dates Are Built In But here's the hard truth Richard addresses: these friendships, as meaningful as they are, often come with expiration dates. Why? Because sustaining deep, lasting friendships requires something that expat life inherently lacks: consistent physical proximity. What True Friendships Need to Thrive Richard explains that real friendships need several key elements: Physical closeness to enable spontaneous meetups and regular face-to-face time Shared cultural experiences happening in real-time, in the same location Being present for both major life events and mundane everyday moments One-on-one interactions that build deep trust and understanding over time Video calls, WhatsApp messages, and annual visits can maintain a connection—but they can't fully replicate the depth that comes from being physically present in each other's lives. It's Not About Quality, It's About Geography This doesn't mean expat friendships aren't real or valuable. In fact, they can be some of the most intense and meaningful relationships we form. The bonds created through shared challenges, cultural discoveries, and mutual support in a foreign land are powerful. The issue is purely logistical: when someone moves to another country, or you do, maintaining the same level of closeness becomes nearly impossible. Different time zones, different daily realities, different cultural contexts—these create natural distance that even the strongest connection struggles to overcome indefinitely. Embracing the Reality Understanding this paradox is actually liberating. It allows us to: Fully invest in friendships while we have the opportunity Appreciate the intensity and meaning of temporary connections Let go without guilt when natural transitions occur Stay open to new friendships in each new location Maintain realistic expectations about long-distance relationships The Takeaway Expat friendships are a unique category of relationships—intense, meaningful, and often beautifully temporary. Rather than seeing this as a failure or disappointment, Richard encourages us to embrace it as part of the expat experience. The friendships you form abroad will shape you, support you through challenges, and create memories that last long after the friendships themselves have evolved into something different. And that's perfectly okay. Have you experienced the expat friendship paradox? Share your story in the comments below. Listen to the full episode of Translate This! to hear Richard's complete thoughts on navigating friendships as an expat, building community abroad, and finding connection in unexpected places.