Meeting new friends when abroad isn't always the easiest, especially when permanently settling far from home. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to meet friends in this new 21st century era of social media technology, or even in more traditional ways. Here are just a few:
1. Hostels- The traditional dwelling of the frugal traveler, hostels are a great place to meet others traveling just as you are. They are often considered to be the most social spaces of foreign travel, and that's understandable: occupants are often so close together that it's impossible not to interact with others. Granted, not everyone will be gifted with sufficient social sense or amicability; there are plenty of stories of hostel horrors stemming from inconsiderate roommates, but they are far outweighed by funnier and more memorable good times.
2. Reddit- There's hardly a city on Earth with an internet connection that doesn't have a subreddit (an individual page within Reddit dedicated to a specific topic) for it. There are plenty of subreddits for social activities; one, for instance, is /r/londonsocialclub, which organizes meet-ups and activities for its subscribers. Even for individual cities, such as /r/Paris, /r/London, /r/Berlin, etc., it's possible to learn the best places to go and meet others simply by interacting with the locals who visit the page.
3. OKCupid- For those searching for a bit of romance, there's OKCupid. It's a free dating site, but it also has several 'social matches' where, if one inputs an activity that one wants to do in the area, one can be matched with another who is interested in doing the same activity on a certain night. It essentially sets up a blind date for you, rather than having to go through your friends and wonder whether or not your friend is trying to pull a prank on you.
4. The Local (Pub)- No matter what country you're in, there will always be a local watering hole (except for some Middle Eastern countries). They are always a good place to sit, relax, and have a chat, though many bars in the United States play cacophonous music that makes it a bit more difficult to converse with others. Other bars/pubs around the world avoid this, making the pub a place of calm discussion rather than drunken frenzy. It's possible that this notion of social drinking evolved from the French Salon, an 18th century gathering of notable scientists/philosophers/artists, who would gather to discuss ideas and issues while enjoying each other's company and a good drink.
It's too easy to feel alone when living in a foreign land, so be not afraid of going outside of your comfort zone to make friends. Whether you are there for work, study, or simply visiting, meeting new people from the local scene is the best way to fully experience the trip.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
