When leaving your home country, you prepare paperwork, finances, accommodation, and career plans. But what about your friendships? Especially if you’re the first to leave your “squad”.
For initial movers—those who leave familiar circles to build new ones abroad, friendships become anchors to their identity and past. You can pack your things, but not your people. Instead, they travel with you in voice notes, memes, and old messages you can’t delete!
Friendships That Know the Real You
Long-distance friendships hold your most authentic self. They’re a comforting link to shared memories, slang, even how you like your Maggi. These bonds are vital for mental well-being, especially when new friends don’t share your background or history. These friendships aren’t just personal; they’re cultural memory banks carrying the weight of shared festivals, TV shows, childhood routines, and more.
The Quiet Crisis of Connection
Being the ‘first’ in your group to move can feel isolated. New friendships may eventually form, but they rarely come preloaded with context. As an immigrant, the shortcut to comfort often comes from those who know your story without explanation. These bonds become “emotional infrastructure”, especially in cultures where mental health support is still stigmatized. Your friend becomes your therapist, cheerleader, and mirror!
Friendship Rituals Become Evolved, Not Erased
Chai meetups become scattered video calls, spontaneous jokes turn into meme check-ins, but the intimacy doesn’t fade. Long-distance friendships aren’t about replicating the past; they build a new way forward.
The Comedian Therapist
Hrishikesh Poojary and Abhilash Sabu
“My best friend’s name is Abhilash Sabu. He’s a youth counsellor and also my unofficial therapist, life coach, and comedian,” says Hrishikesh. “We met way back in the day, probably bonding over who had the worst handwriting or who could dodge homework better. From there, the chaos just clicked. Moving countries, starting fresh, questioning my entire existence? Been there, done that, and he’s been the guy reminding me not to spiral.” Hrishikesh recalls a late-night meltdown call, “He picked up immediately, stayed on the line until I laughed, and sent me a custom voice note series, one part therapy, one part stand-up special. The man’s got range. We might not talk every day, but when we do, it’s like zero time has passed. Real friendship ages like wine—better, stronger, and just hits the right notes.”
Scheduled Calls and Shared Dreams
Manasi Sohoni and Purvi Rambhiya
Manasi met her best friend Purvi Rambhiya during their master's in communications while back home in Mumbai. “We’ve been in touch for six years across countries, always scheduling FaceTime calls weeks in advance. Regular check-ins help us pick right where we left off, no matter the distance,” she says. “We keep a running list of places to eat, talk skincare, and wellness—things I never cared about before. It’s fun seeing how we grow together. We always talk about wanting to travel together and learn new things about each other. I can’t wait to go back and give her a tight hug,” she exclaims.
Of Pep Talks and Proof
Harmandeep Singh Kathuria and Sakshi Jai
“My best friend is Sakshi Jai,” says Harmandeep. “She’s been my go-to person for life advice, including career and family issues.” Harmandeep shares how Sakshi’s encouragement helped him pursue his PR Express Entry to Canada. “When I was applying to Humber College, I was short of money, and Sakshi helped me fill the gap and never asked for it back.” “We don’t talk as much as we used to because she’s married and has a child, but we still share memes and chat every other month. When I visit India, we meet, and it feels like we’re back in the good old times. In fact, in 2018, I took nine days of unpaid leave to fly to Delhi just for her wedding. Couldn’t miss it,” he proudly elaborates.
Soft Check-ins for “Cloud Besties”
- Friendships Don’t Have to Be Daily to Be Deep: Trust, not frequency, keeps bonds alive
- Let Silence Happen Without Fear: Pauses don’t mean distance; life just takes a breath
- Accept That You’re Both Changing: Make space for evolving versions of each other
- Re-entry Will Be Awkward, and That’s Okay: Old rhythms resurface with time
- Show Up When It Counts: Don’t miss big moments—breakups, health scares, anniversaries
- Don’t Archive the Friendship—Update It: Create new rituals, jokes, and memories
Creative Ways to Keep Long-Distance Friendships Thriving
- Cross-Time-Zone Playlist: Send each other songs with notes for the week
- Mirror Days: Once a month, do the same activity separately like cook, watch, dress alike
- Time-Delayed Letters: Write letters to open on tough days
- Co-invest in Activities: Read a book or watch the same movie/web-series to connect and discuss
- Friendship Receipts: Collect memories and share a year-end recap
Why Do These Friendships Still Matter Deeply?
In a world that celebrates reinvention, these friendships ground you in memory and meaning. They keep you real in a place that often demands a curated version of you. They hold space for your contradictions, for being homesick and excited, overwhelmed and grateful, lost and hopeful.
And while oceans, languages, and time zones may separate you, these friendships remind you: love doesn’t need proximity but presence, consistency, and a little creativity.
Because in the end, no matter how far you go, real friendship is never out of reach. It stretches. It softens. It stays!
