How to Make Friends Living Abroad
Just arrived in a new country and don’t know anyone there?
Making friends abroad can seem intimidating or hard. Especially if you moved somewhere on your own, it can be really hard to even know where to begin. Moving abroad is a huge step emotionally and not having a support system around can make it even harder. Even if you are just traveling for an extended period of time, you still need human connection!
Although making friends can seem difficult, follow my tips and you’ll have some new friends in no time!
Whether you just moved somewhere or just looking to widen your circle in general, making friends as an adult anywhere can feel hard! You might have to work a bit harder living in a new country, but it is worth it to put yourself out there!
While I love traveling alone and alone time is important, making friends and having people to connect with is just as important!
Here is your guide on ideas to start getting out there, meeting new people, and making connections:
Coworkers from Work:
If you moved for work, reach out to your new coworkers! Even if they might not seem your age or if you would actually be interested in being friends, they might have other connections or know people your age to introduce you to. When you don’t know anyone, any sort of connection should be explored!
If you are in an office setting, just ask someone to get coffee or a drink after work! Let them know you are new (if they don’t already know) and that you would love some recommendations for the city or advice on the new job! Coworkers are a great place to start because you already have the job or company you work for in common, so that can be a place to start. If you don’t have any direct workers, are there people that work for the same company you could connect with? If you work remotely, is there anyone near you also working remotely you could meet up with?
Language Course:
If you are in a country where you don’t know the local language, I highly recommend taking an in person language class in town! While I recommend it just to get to know the language in which you are living, these classes are a great way to meet other people who aren’t from the country and be a part of a community with others who are just like you! Especially if you are newer to the country, it can be exhausting and hard to feel constantly out of place and not knowing the local language. In a classroom with others just like you, not only is it a place to meet others, but a place where you can feel comfortable not knowing.
Now that you found a place to feel comfortable, maybe there are some great people in your class also new to town, looking for friends! My German class was about 10 others from all walks of life. Many were there to give their family a new life and it was inspiring to hear so many different stories and how everyone got to be in that room.
The Internet – Facebook Groups, Meet up, Couchsurfing, etc:
Groups on facebook is probably my favorite feature of any social media ever. If you don’t have a facebook for social media, get an account simply to use the GROUPS features. If you don’t know about Facebook groups, let me tell you. They are simply life changing for traveling and meeting people.
People create groups for almost anything. Look up the city you are new to and see what comes up. For most major cities, there is a group called” Expats in ____(city name)___” or “English Speakers in __ (city name) __”. If you work remote, try “Remote Workers in Rome” or “Digital Nomads in Bali”. An alternative route you could try would be finding a more general group, then searching/posting within that group to find people in your city. For example if you like photography, try to find a “Travel Photography” group and then search within to see if any of the members also live in your city and plan a meet up! There is a facebook group for just about anything and people all over the world in them.
I met some of my best friends from an “Au Pairs in Munich” group. Someone posted saying a group was going to meet at a beer garden and anyone was welcome! I went by myself and there were 6 girls, all from different countries, between 18-22 years old all looking for friends. Although a bit awkward at first, we all had a great time. The next week, one of those girls texted me that she was getting together with another group of girls and that I was welcome. One of those girls was a girl my age from the US and we hit it off instantly and is to this day one of my best friends. Looking for more information on how to become an au pair? Read my post on how I started here!
Other places online to meet people would be the Meet Up or Couchsurfing. While Couchsurfing is used to find places to stay for the night, there are meetups and events planned to meet like minded and open folks.
Dating Apps:
While this recommendation only works if you are single and interested in dating, go out on some dates and see what happens! Additionally, in your profile you can state you are looking for friends or recommendations for the area and see what comes of that! While you *could* say you are new to town and looking for someone to show you around, be smart about it. It isn’t safe to tell people you don’t know anyone in the country and could potentially be an easy target.
I met a couple of people from Tinder in Germany. While nothing lasted, one of the guys introduced me to a few of his friends and I also found a couple of bars I never would have known about if he hadn’t brought me there. My friend (who I met through a Facebook group) met a guy from Tinder and ended up dating him for 3 years.
*Something to always keep in mind is SAFETY. Internet safety is very important, especially in the dating field. Take precautions, FaceTime or call beforehand, meet in public, and let someone know where you are going. If you haven’t met anyone in the country, do you have a neighbor or coworker you can leave your information with? If you have absolutely no one in that city/country, tell a friend or family member from home and set up check in times to check in with them. Always be smart, trust your gut and don’t do anything you are uncomfortable with. *
**Another note, dating and romantic relationships can be very different in other cultures. Be aware of the cultures approach to dating and be honest about what you are looking for and what your expectations are. **
In Person Activities – Hostel Activities, Tours, Local Events:
Most cities offer a free walking tour. I highly recommend taking one when you first arrive to orient yourself to the city and get an insider’s take on the city. Most guides are very friendly and happy to give suggestions. After my walking tour in Lisbon, the group all got a drink together with our guide and I made plans to visit a museum that afternoon with a girl from the tour!
Get tickets to a local event. Book an experience on Airbnb or group tour activity. Even if you are living there, it is a great way to dip your toes into the local scene and get your bearings.
Look up hostels in the area and see if they have tours or events you could join. Sometimes you have to be staying at the hostel, but sometimes you don’t! Most hostels are full of travelers that speak English and looking to get to know people and have fun.
The only thing is if they are staying in the hostel, they most likely are just traveling and won’t be staying in the city for long, but who knows! While at a hostel in Portugal, I went on a day trip with others staying at the same hostel! I didn’t know any of them, but we all had a great time and came back to the hostel and went out the night all together! Additionally, hostel staff members are usually travelers themselves and happy to give recommendations and even could possibly friend potential themselves!
Volunteer Opportunities:
While figuring out a paying job takes time and legal paperwork, finding a place or event to volunteer at doesn’t! While some opportunities might require knowing the local language, there are plenty that don’t or use English anyways. I once volunteered in Munich for a traveling clothing swap that came into town. They were originally from the Netherlands, so they spoke English to all the volunteers! There were a bunch of other people my age. At the end of helping set up, all the volunteers were able to pick out an item of clothing! While I didn’t make any lasting friends, I still have that pair of jeans.
I found this opportunity because someone posted in a “International Female Friends in Munich, Germany” Facebook group. You could also find some more regular opportunities like an animal shelter or hostel that looks for volunteers regularly. If you find a weekly gig, that could be a great way to get out of the house and get to know the other volunteers.
In the Wild – At a Bar or Restaurant, Coffee or Bookshops, Clothing Stores, etc:
If you have tried all the other options, my last recommendation is simply just meeting others in the wild. Go out to a restaurant, sit at the bar top and mingle with other people at the bar or even the bartender! If you like someone’s outfit, tell them! See someone you might be interested in talking to reading at the same coffee shop as you? Ask them about their book! If you are in a women’s clothing store, chances are someone else in that store has a similar sense of style to you, ask whoever is working for other cute store recommendations!
Use social awareness and remember cultural differences are a real thing, but don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try to start a random conversation with someone! Maybe nothing will come of it, even having one new conversation that day is a great start. If you are nervous about going to a restaurant or bar by yourself, read this blog post about tips for going out by yourself!
At the end of the day, I would rather that I learned from an experience than regret not doing something. Most of the time people are thinking about themselves/their own lives to think about you.
Just about to move and preparing for your upcoming adventure? Check out my best travel packing tips to help keep you organized so you can focus on making new friends, not being stressed about the move itself!
Have any more tips or ideas of your own? Let me know in the comments below!
