How to Meet New People in a Foreign Country

Travel friends
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

When traveling the world on your own, it can sometimes feel a little bit lonely. Sure, there’s something beautiful to be said about the solo adventure mindset, and there are amazing lessons you can learn along the way, but it’s not without a few growing pains. This is definitely true when it comes to meeting new people, so here’s the best way to put your best foot forward.

Know Your Manners

We know we sound like every voice of authority that you’ve ever had in your life, but the old cliches are true. Have good manners wherever you go, and you’re likely to receive a warm reception. You may meet some people who don’t return the favor, but they aren’t ones you’d want to be friends with anyway.

Be Yourself

When we go to other countries, we sometimes think that other people want to meet a fantasized version of how we see ourselves. But there’s no need for you to “change”. Be who you are, and chances are they’ll love you even more for it.

Offer Help

Another good way to meet new people is to offer them help with something. This doesn’t mean you do it in a creepy way—just if you see any opportunity to help out with something, go ahead and do it. An act of kindness goes a long way.