When expat partner Becks Harrop moved to Jakarta, she reached out to Elen Pradera after reading one of her Global Connection columns about life in the Indonesian capital. The two became good friends.
Similar interests
Becks, who hails from New Zealand, is the first to admit it: “I wouldn’t bother reaching out to a stranger back home. But I had just arrived in Jakarta and found it tricky to meet people – especially because we don’t have children. So when I read that Elen had similar interests to my own, I decided to email her. I really enjoyed connecting with another expat partner and talking about the journey we were both on. It was a neat chance to establish a global friendship and added to my cultural experience of living abroad.”
Making the most of it
Elen recalls: “I was very happy when I heard from Becks. At the time, I only had friends from my home country, Brazil, so she was someone who could give me a different perspective on life as an expat partner. It felt like a great opportunity to hear what she was going through and to share my own experiences. Besides, it was nice to have the company, get out of our comfort zones and try new things. We were both determined to make the most of our time in Jakarta. So together we visited many cafés and restaurants, and explored the city and its museums.”
Part of a network
Global Connection members are part of an international community of expat partners, of 90 nationalities in more than 140 countries. They all have access to our Global Connection Members Directory, a helpful resource for members looking for friendships or local insights.
Photo: Becks Harrop (left) and Ellen Pradera
This article was originally published for the thousands of expat partners that Global Connection supports around the globe. It is reproduced here in its original form.
