Beyond all the adventures and memories, what makes traveling so fun is meeting new people and making friends from all over the world. Travelers, hikers and globetrotters all know what it’s like to be in a place where you don’t know anyone, so they are generally very friendly and starting a conversation is usually very easy. However, there are two types of people in the world: those who just need to open their mouths to make friends and others who need a little help to get out of their comfort zone. To simplify the whole friendship process a little, it’s important to have an open and curious mind and to do something fun and interesting. Preferably, in one of these ten places:
1. Attend a language course …
If you are going to spend more than two weeks in a certain country, why not immerse yourself in its culture by starting a language course ? You will have the opportunity to learn some beautiful expressions useful in everyday life: in this way traveling will become even more fun. Furthermore, fellow students could become travel companions, which in practice would be like winning the lottery.
2.… Or another course
Maybe you really like the rabbit-based specialties of Maltese cuisine so you may decide to learn how to cook them yourself by attending a cooking class in Malta. Or you could learn how to make a real origami swan in Tokyo: of course there is a course for that too! Whichever course you choose, you will have the opportunity to make new friends with fellow students or fellow travelers, just like going to school, only in this case it will be more fun because you will be abroad.
3. Live with the locals
Of course, you can’t just knock on someone’s door and ask them to let you in, invite you to lunch, and become your friend. But there are hundreds of opportunities to immerse yourself in a new culture, living by local customs, from couchsurfing to Airbnb. Living in an apartment or house is in fact a great way to start discovering a city, meeting people, neighbors and locals.
4. Volunteer
Why not do something good for your soul and the local community through volunteering? This experience will not only help you improve the world by giving something back to the place you will be staying with, but it will also allow you to immerse yourself in its culture and interact with people who are involved in an important cause (and let’s not forget that it is a wonderful way to follow or discover your own passion).
5. Eat and drink
We all need to eat and drink and choosing the same restaurant or bar is already something we have in common. Just look for someone else who is eating alone. Of course it could be risky because maybe the person in question really wants to eat alone, but nothing prevents them from approaching and saying: “Hello! I see you are eating alone and I was wondering if I could join you ”. There is nothing to fear – step out of your comfort zone and you could have a very pleasant conversation.
6. Go on an excursion or some recreational activity
Many hotels, schools and cities offer free or affordable sightseeing tours, excursions and various activities. This will help you explore your new home and give you a real understanding of where you will be and which you won’t find in any book. Usually these are sightseeing tours and group activities, so you’ll be surrounded by other people you can talk to and take some selfies with. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up trying that restaurant you passed by before or continue exploring together.
7. Stay in the hostel
Many hikers and people traveling alone decide to stay in hostels, as these tend to be cheaper than hotels. For this reason you will find yourself in the midst of so many people with an open mind and in welcoming situations, such as a breakfast in a large hall or group activities that will make it easier to fit in with other people. Plus, everyone usually has great travel tips, which is why it’s absolutely worth a conversation with them no matter where you are.
8. Contact your circle of friends / strong>
If you have friends (or friends of friends) who have recently been to, for example, South Africa, contact them to see if they may have any suggestions. Who knows, they might recommend a number of things to do or even put you in touch with some of their local friends who you can meet up with for coffee or sightseeing.
9. Become a regular customer
If you stay in a given city for a while and keep going to the same restaurant or cafe, sooner or later the staff will start to recognize you. This will be a great chance to have a chat or get helpful advice on things to do and see The waiters are used to making conversation, introducing people or helping customers, so there’s a good chance you can even do or see some those things together.
10. Find a dating group
Virtually everyone who visits a new city or moves has the problem of meeting new people and figuring out how to get around in the new environment. This is why various organizations such as Meetup and Internations have been born, which thanks to weekly and monthly meetings, help people to broaden their circle of acquaintances and make new friends.
