How to get new friends after a move!
This is it, for some reason you give a go to a new life in a place you've never been before. Whether it is for work, for a relative or for personal stuff, you are where you are and you have to settle down with your new life. Sometimes this is not a question of shyness, but it could be hard to make new friends in a new country with a different culture! Indeed, if it is easy peasy to meet people while you are travelling and are just a passenger in their world, it could be way harder to enter in the same people`s life and becoming a part of the band! Fortunately there are many tips I can give you from my experience to start your new social life
There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't yet met... William Butler Yeats
Some people are not met by coincidence...
Your new life will bring you new faces, because of your new job, new neighbours or activities. Take care of your first contacts, do not hesitate to keep in touch with the people you meet and be the first to suggest another meeting. If you have the feeling that your neighbours are keen, invite them to have a drink! There is no shame to be new in an area and looking for new friends. Mind the new events coming around you, go to the little pub that seems to be cool, forge ahead!
Your professional life can bring you many opportunities as well! You colleagues are maybe not the people that you want to spend your week-end with, but they represent a big part of your new social life as they are the one you will see the most, and for this reason they are part of your new social life.
When you realise why social media is finally useful
You can say whatever you want about Facebook, Instagram... they are pretty useful while you are traveling. Social Network usabilities are not only about sharing you holiday's pictures to show off your amazing life or sharing kitten videos, but it allows you to keep in touch with people you just met or find them to give a go to a new relationship.
Every country has its own Facebook pages for people travelling or foreigners living in the same country, just try to type the name of your city and expat, or your nationality, to see what groups appear. Some groups are only to sell items, but other are real community to share tips and organise events or activities.
By the way, always mind meeting stranger on social media, make sure it's safe you never know people till you meet them!
Couchsurfing, Meetup & Co...
Have you ever heard about Couchsurfing? This is not a new Japanese sport that pops up sometimes on TV, this is a concept that most of the backpackers know. The concept is to travel by sleeping in people place in exchange of giving them a bit of your time to share and help them. This concept have grown up and nowadays people used the app or the website to create event or just meet people.
Another application that is quite famous in the travellers and expatriates' world is Meetup. This application allows you to take part of events like going to the cinema, hiking, eating, organised by people like you. Like Meetup, Internations is a good website for expatriates who want to be linked to each other. There are heaps of applications or websites for expatriates that might be more used in your country, do not hesitate to google it or look into you mobile store. Once again always beware of people you meet on internet.
Governmental organisations
When you move to a country with the purpose of living there, it's always a good thing to register in your embassy. Not only to be part of your home country's political life, but because embassies and consulates sometimes organise events to link people from the same country.
Some countries have their own organisations abroad for expatriates. These associations plan events often in order to make people meet each other and create a community. If it's not the best solution to meet local or improve your english, it's always nice to have friends that know where you come from and can understand your cultural identity perfectly.
Hopefully this article will help you for you new social life's beginning. Please, do not hesitate to follow me on Facebook or Instagram for more tips about traveling life style and philosophy.
