The Expat Life: Why Twitter Is An Expat’s Best Friend

Posted on 11. Apr, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life, Tools & Resources
4 comments

The more I use Twitter, the more I love it. Actually, I think I am turning into a Twitter evangelist – it has become so useful to me that I want to encourage everyone to give it a try!

It is a particularly powerful tool for us expats. Away from our friends and family, we are always on the lookout for new ways to stay in touch.

Whether newcomers or old hands in our host country, we also love to feel connected to a larger community of like-minded expats – as evidenced by the mind-boggling number of expat blogs and expat online message boards.

So what makes Twitter different and better than your usual forum, blog or instant messenger?

- It gives you direct access to experts and authors
Do you have a question for expat expert Robin Pascoe? She tweets as @expatexpert. Did you love Anastasia Ashman’s “Tales from the Expat Harem”? She is @Thandelike.

The list goes on. If there is someone in the expat community you’d like to reach, Twitter allows you to do it in a direct, non-intimidating way. Since I started tweeting, I have gained access to experts and writers that I would have previously thought unapproachable.

- It connects you with people you would never have met otherwise
Some people are natural connectors. They are the ones who really shine on Twitter. Once they get to know you, they will encourage their connections to check out your profile and engage you in conversation.

Before long, you will be conversing with all sorts of folks with whom you have something in common, be it your location, a hobby or the fact that you both miss your home country.

There are also several directories you can search for Twitter users near you. Send a message to @ExpatFinder to get listed, or search the directory on the Expat Finder blog.

- It creates new opportunities
Since I started using Twitter, I have discovered half a dozen new-to-me expat communities online, several blogs have featured my profile or a link to my site, and I have received an offer to write a guest post on an expat blog. Not bad for a tool I only use a few minutes a day, in between meetings or phone calls!

In your case, you could find out about an expat gathering near you, meet the perfect partner for your new online venture or ask fellow expats for practical advice – they will usually get back to you much faster than on a message board.

- It is a learning tool
Many users try and pack their 140-character tweets with useful, entertaining or interesting information. They include links to online articles they liked, or they review books they found worth reading.

There are no limits to what you can discover on Twitter: websites, books, applications and tools, good restaurants, funny or thought-provoking quotes, silly games. And if you are looking for something your connections are not tweeting about yet, just ask!

When you are ready to start contributing your own tweets, share what you are thinking, what puzzles you, what articles you recently found of interest, and what resources you think could be helpful to fellow expats.

Follow people who do the same. Rinse and repeat.

Within a few weeks, you will have created a little community with which you can connect, share, brainstorm, and laugh. You may even become a tiny bit addicted… don’t say you weren’t forewarned!

If you have any questions or if you just want to say hello, I am @emmanuelle_a on Twitter. Drop me a line and I will be happy to help you get started. I look forward to seeing you there!

Emmanuelle