Moving to a new place is hard, even if it is close to home. So, moving to another country may seem insurmountable. Aside from the language barrier and culture shock, a major struggle for a lot of foreigners is finding friends.

When I arrived in China, I lived in an area with very few foreigners. There was a Western market nearby, and whenever I saw someone that looked like they spoke English, I wanted to rush over to talk with them. The only time I spoke English then was at my teaching job and on the phone with friends back home.

After a few weeks, I moved to a hutong. I moved into a compound that is mainly made up of expats, and I now have two English-speaking roommates. I am thrilled.

However, I realized that sharing the same language doesn't mean that you automatically share common interests.

Most of the English-speaking foreigners are not from the US. They are from Britain, Russia, Australia and South America. Cultural differences became apparent when I saw that topics like music, television, celebrities and even politics, were a stretch. I thought that everyone watched American TV and listened to American music, but I was wrong.

After the "So, why did you come to China?" question, conversations rely on common knowledge.

Another difference was that most people just go out for dinner or drinks and then call it a night. I am used to having people over, hanging out, watching TV and drinking at my house or theirs.

Even if at times it seems impossible, there are ways to make friends in China. There are WeChat groups made specifically for foreigners: running groups, book clubs and even groups for nightlife.

My advice is, don't get down on yourself if you cannot make a lot of close friends right away. I put myself out there by asking people to join me for dinner, drinks or a movie.

Attending events or classes that interest you can also help you meet people you connect with.

I have made a lot of friends by going to live houses and just talking to people before and after the shows.

Making friends is hard, but not impossible. Time and effort will take you a long way.

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.