Why would anyone make friends with someone from another country?

>>16933466

cuz people are different, have different opinions and different motives.

'impossible to have friends in another country' boils down to the definition of friends. you dont see 90% of hte people you have on facebook, but might consider them friends. we have 'online friends'.

international networking is helpful for hopeful travelers. if you know someone who lives in america and want to visit america you might have a nice place to stay.

>>16933468
People you don't see irl are not friends.

>>16933469

my bad. i didnt know that was the universally agreed upon definition of a friend. next time someone makes that mistake, be sure to walk right up to them and say that he must only refer to them as a 'penpal' or a 'facebook friend' as using the word 'friend' to describe their relationship would be fraudulent.

>>16933470
Yeah exactly. Online friends are not real friends.

>>16933466
You can potentially maintain contact with someone and still enjoy their personality on occasion without having them be a mainstay of your life.

For example, I have a friend from Singapore who I met on steam who I've talked to for years despite him being a good 4 or so years younger than me. We don't talk daily or even often, but it is nice on occasion to get a message from him at 2 or 3 am when I'm bored with nothing else to do.

Sometimes he annoys the ever loving fuck out of me, but most times I'm grateful for the conversation.

I think as long as you are reasonable with what you expect to get out of your "friendship" it is possible.

The issue is most people aren't reasonable with their expectations and they expect the same sort of comradery as they experience from friends they see on a daily basis.

The thread you linked to had a girl trying to become good friends with another girl million miles away. She wanted to talk with her consistently without annoying her. That simply isn't realistic, there is no way they can talk as often as a friend she might meet at work without being overbearing.

I think it is worthwhile being friendly to whoever you can when overseas and if they are interested in the occasional "hey how are things going with you", then rock on with your bad self but I would never travel and meet someone new with the expectation that we would be good friends once I left or that said friendship would possess the same strength as those I've formed with people I interact with daily.

So... the guy is right, but there is still room to make acquaintances and occasional contacts.

Think "pen pals" and not "best friends" when meeting people abroad.

>>16933474

you should tell them that.

>>16933474

>online friends are not real friends

never said they were. just that there are different definitions of 'friends'. such as online friends.

>>16933479
Yeah
>>16933481
Online friends are like "friends" for losers with no friends irl
>>16933478
Why would anyone want a pen pal though? They are not true friends.

>>16933495
It isn't that you "want" a pen pal so much as it is that it may be better than the alternative of having no points of contact.

I'd rather a couple shitty friends who I don't consider real friends but at least I can talk to on occasion than no friends whatsoever because I shut myself off from all people who don't have direct access to me 24/7.

It is a lesser of two evils scenario.

>>16933495
Most people who keep in contact with someone they have met aboard are not exactly looking for best buddies. They just want someone to chat with when they are bored and keeping in touch allows them to learn about another culture or practise a foreign language.

>>16933466
it depends on what the word "friend" means to you.

>>16933466
>keep in touch with them

maybe they consistently have interesting shit to say.

>>16933986
>they consistently have interesting shit to say
Like what? "Oh I joined this tennis event at uni".

>>16933986
yeah like cultural exchange and shit like that

>>16933466
people who befriend someone aboard are not looking for bffs