To build trust with your colleagues in a new international office, you should adopt several strategies. First, be open and approachable by learning names and remembering details about your colleagues. Listen actively to show genuine interest in their thoughts and perspectives. Make an effort to understand the cultural nuances and norms of your new environment. Communicate clearly to avoid misunderstandings, and always deliver on your promises to establish a reputation for reliability. Actively participate in team activities and meetings, and offer your help to demonstrate collaboration. Respect personal and professional boundaries, which may differ across cultures.

Take time to get to know your colleagues personally. Engage in conversations over coffee, join your colleagues for lunch breaks, or simply approach people for a small chat. Just introduce yourself and ask them to tell you who they are and what they do. Initiate after hours drinks outing or a joint sport activity. Living abroad you are limited in amount of friends so your colleagues should be your base of your social activity.

Step one: learn how to say 'I’m sorry' and 'I didn’t mean to offend you' in every local language, because you will mess up probably before lunch on day one. Step two: show respect for their culture by confidently butchering their traditions. For example, if they greet you with a bow, try bowing so low you accidentally headbutt the table. Nothing builds trust like shared laughter...at your expense. Step three: bring snacks. Preferably something exotic from your home country that no one actually likes, but they’ll politely pretend to enjoy while questioning your palate.

I've been there. It's so important that you make an effort to get to know your colleagues on a human level. They're people and they just want to know that you care about having a positive working relationship with them. Learn people's names, go out for lunch together, say hello to people you haven't met yet. Ask for advice on the best coffee and food spots nearby - you might just find something amazing (hello, Hell Pizza!). Familiarise yourself with the space and make an effort to learn cultural norms - especially around how the office runs. Go to the social events and before you know it, the office dog will stop barking at you when you come off the elevator and will come running for a pat even if it's been 6 months since he last saw you!