What Is The Expat Sisterhood?

People often ask what the expat sisterhood means, why it’s so important, and how it differs from the friendships we have at home or from our childhood. 

The expat sisterhood is different because nothing is ever too much trouble. It’s friendships with my fellow expat sisters that are unique in many ways because yes they become family almost instantly.

They are also the girls I go to for everything when living abroad. They are the ones I can trust to leave my kids with at the drop of a hat, or that I can run to for advice and better still I can land on their doorstep uninvited but welcomed in with open arms nevertheless. 

The expat sisterhood is different because nothing is ever too much trouble. It’s friendships with my fellow expat sisters that are unique in many ways because yes they become family almost instantly.

They are also the girls I go to for everything when living abroad. They are the ones I can trust to leave my kids with at the drop of a hat, or that I can run to for advice and better still I can land on their doorstep uninvited but welcomed in with open arms nevertheless. 

They are also the women that accept me for who I am and what I bring to the table. They are the women that although these days I spend less time out of the country than in it. They still open their arms without a backward glance. 

They are the women that may have moved to another country but find the time to catch up somewhere, and will somehow make it happen. They are the women that can keep my deepest dark secrets that choose not to judge me for the choices I make, and that can love me no matter what. 

They are the women that will drop everything when I need them and fly halfway around the world if I ask. They are the women that I may not have grown up with in my neighbourhood or even my country, and they may not also have English as their first language, but they get me, like others can’t and don’t.

They understand what living abroad is like and they are empathetic, sympathetic and have walked in my shoes on more than one occasion. 

These are the women that have my back no matter where I am and who I’ve become. These are my expat sisters. I may not have seen them in a few months or maybe even years but can still pick up like no time has passed. 

For those who understand this friendship, and for those who are lucky enough to have experienced this expat sisterhood, you will know what I mean. How lucky I am to say that I have some of the most remarkable women dotted around the world that fall into this category.

For this, I am grateful to have met these special women and thankful that they have opened up their homes, their arms and their hearts and allowed me to be part of their world.