Unit3  On Friendship

6. read up on the place and culture of your soon-to-be friend. ask your foreigner questions about their background. everyone wants to talk about the place where they come from.
7. help your friend get accustomed to a new way of life. be supportive.
8. let your friendship blossom. don't force it. and remember... a little variety never hurt anyone.
9. smile often. let them know that you are friendly and approachable.
10. don't be (too) finicky. be reasonable. some locals may opt to eat on banana leaves and you wanted to eat on a china plate. don’t treat yourself as a vip when hanging out with them. when you really can't eat what they call an "exotic" dish, tell them honestly but politely.
11. show them that you are an interesting and amusing person.  let them know your strengths and weaknesses and vice versa. this way you can form an alliance to become friends
12. be fun to be around. you don't have to be a superstar to be fun. you don't even have to do cartwheels. you do need to be positive and friendly, however, so that people feel good when they're around you. from the very first conversation you have with someone, you should use body language to convey that you are affable, non-threatening, and approachable. smile frequently, laugh often, and make eye contact. in your words, be confident, but don't be cocky, condescending, or mean-spirited.
13. be a good listener. many people think that in order to be seen as "friend material" they have to appear very interesting. far more important than this, however, is the ability to show that you're interested in others. listen carefully to what people say, remember important details about them (their names, their likes and dislikes), ask questions about their interests, and just take the time to learn more about them. people love to talk about themselves, and the easiest way to be likable is to listen. you don't want to be the guy or girl that always has a better story than anyone else or that changes the subject abruptly instead of continuing the flow of conversation. these people appear too wrapped up in themselves to be good friends.
14. be trustworthy. one of the best things about having a friend is that you have someone to whom you can talk about anything, even secrets that you hide from the rest of the world. the key to being a good confidante is the ability to keep secrets, so it's no secret that you shouldn't tell other people things that were told to you in confidence. before people even feel comfortable opening up to you, however, you need to build trust. be honest about yourself and your beliefs, and don't gossip about others or spread rumors.