Internations.org - Join Expats and Global Minds

A social network for people living or working outside of their country of origin, Internations.org is a place for people with global minds to meet and interact with people who are in the same predicament as they are. The idea is for people to share information, insights and maybe get to know some interesting expats as themselves. The site appeals to people who leave their country for different reasons and purposes, like diplomats, members of international organizations (IGOs, NGOs), foreign correspondents, and expatriates of international companies. Also take into account that non-expats can join the site as long as they have strong links or frequent exchanges with their local expat community. In order to keep the network useful and bienpensant, joining is only possible if you are invited by a current member of the site.

“InterNations is the first international online Social Network exclusively for people living and working abroad. As a network of trust, InterNations is a place where its members can interact with other internationally-minded individuals sharing the same situation abroad, similar interests, and needs. Members of InterNations can get and keep in touch with private or work-related friends and acquaintances on a global and local level and exchange trustworthy and relevant information on specific topics with each other”.

Relocating to a foreign country can be a hard time, and if you don’t speak the language of your new place of residence it can turn out to be a lonely experience as well, and thus having the possibility of meeting people whose interests and background you feel comfortable with can be great, especially if you need someone to show you around town, or introduce you to the locals.

Although Internations.org seems like a really good idea, many might find it a bit too personal, in the sense that one must reveal real name and job position to be accepted, and that information is presented in one’s profile, so the whole notion of having a second ‘virtual’ identity becomes quite elusive. And also, I reckon it can be a bit intimidating or uncomfortable to decline an invitation or a request from a person that’s way over in the hierarchy scale, so in a way this social network reproduces and consolidates the power structures of real life, that same power structures that most people try to free themselves of by joining social networks and their promise of anonymity.