Socialisation in doctoral education is a multifaceted process through which students acquire the knowledge, skills and values required to perform in a scholarly community. The literature reports numerous experiences of doctoral students, but socialisation and the challenges faced by international students has received limited attention. As an international student, I have used a self-study approach to develop a personal narrative about some of the unexpected intellectual, emotional and cultural challenges I have faced during my doctoral study. I encountered those challenges through extending my social interactions, which is one of the key elements of socialisation. I argue that doctoral students need to take a reflective and proactive stance towards extending their social interactions to manage unexpected challenges and for a smooth transition to become active members in a scholarly community.