BUILDING SOCIAL NETWORKS ABROAD 127 Meeting the locals in a first-world country is quite different and has its own set of challenges. First and foremost, people there have their own established, busy lives, and they are not likely to be particularly interested in you: there is no mystique associated with your origins. You will simply be treated as another middle- class citizen, though possibly a little lower in the rankings of potential acquaintances because you speak a different language and it is something of an extra hassle to get to know you. One GenXpat who recently had this experience summarized it nicely: "It isn't that they have anything against you, only you have to pedal twice as fast as other locals to demonstrate that it is worth their while to get to know you." How do you get to know locals? Certainly your colleagues are a good place to start, despite the caveats I mentioned earlier. You can also join clubs or organizations that reflect local interests. For example, in Poland, golf and tennis clubs tend to attract Westerners. By contrast, hiking or sailing clubs will be dominated by Polish people. Finally, it helps to remain open to the unex- pected by expressing an interest in people's lives and asking questions. Even interactions with your baker or hairdresser, for example, can offer up a wealth of opportunities. · Meeting Expats For all the advantages of meeting locals, expat friends can be worthwhile as well. First of all, longstanding expats can be good interpreters of the local culture and an invaluable resource as you learn to function in your new home, helping you with anything