As an expat establishing within the United States, it is essential to forge new bonds with the people around you. However, the first step to achieve that goal is to understand the way people in the United States tend to carry their friendships and other interpersonal dynamics.
Americans tend to be friendly, polite, and pleasant to interact with, which may give the impression that they form deep and valuable friendships fast. However, they value their independence and individualism despite their outspoken behavior.
Despite their friendliness, it may take plenty of time to befriend someone in the United States and move past the “acquaintance” label. Regular friendly interactions and casual conversations about superficial topics do not imply an everlasting bond.
This is possible because, within American culture, it is normal to classify dynamics and friendships, restricting them to specific timeframes, places, or events. Therefore an American will have different friend and acquaintance groups that do not overlap amongst them. Examples are “friends from work”, “friendly neighbors”, “family friends”, “hobby acquaintances”, amongst others. Being invited to an event for “work friends” does not necessarily mean you will also receive an invitation for a gathering that involves a different category.
Due to the circumstantial nature of these interpersonal relationships, it is very common for these friendships to be short-lived and conditional, ending once the contact between both people ceases to exist. However, there are always exceptions, and friendships can blossom beyond these circumstances.
Although these generalizations are common and widespread, it is essential to know that the United States is a culturally diverse country with many regional variations and different dynamics. For example, African-Americans tend to value interpersonal relationships a lot more, and Southern Americans are widely considered to be more open to preserving friendships and acquaintances.
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