One of the biggest draws of travel for many people is that it can provide the opportunity to try new things, experience new cultures, and meet new people. That said, meeting new people is often easier said than done, especially if you don’t already know someone in your destination. It can be challenging to approach people and leave you feeling even more isolated if those people aren’t receptive.
We’ve spent a lot of time abroad in our day, and along the way we’ve learned a lot about how to make friends and meet new people.
Take a Class
Taking a class in a foreign location is a great way to kill two birds with one stone—you can learn something new while putting yourself in an environment where it’s easy to meet people. You can find classes suited to your interests on sites like Airbnb or even Facebook.
Stay in a Hostel
Staying in a hostel doesn’t have to mean sharing a room with a bunch of other tourists, though that may be a good option for meeting people if you’re comfortable with it. Plenty of hostels have private rooms available, and typically, hostels host events such as shared dinners, bar crawls, and other outings for all guests regardless of which type of room they’re in.
Try Meetup
Before TikTok, Instagram, and even Myspace, there was Meetup, a social media platform launched in 2002 to help people get together for all kinds of in-person and virtual events and activities. 20 years later, plenty of people around the world still use Meetup to host get-togethers and connect with others.