Sometimes we choose to travel for the freedom it brings. At other times, travel is another way to extend beyond your comfort zone.
Either way, you are bound to meet new people on the way. If you are looking to increase your chances of meeting new people, read on to learn how you can put your social skills to use, without endangering your life!
These past couple of weeks, I’ve met people from all walks of life. Despite being a self-confessed introvert, I must say that meeting these like-minded people energized and uplifts me.
I sure learned a great deal about them. I’ve learned more about how startups work, met entrepreneurs, interacted with creatives (illustrators, photographers, videographers, graphic designers, etc), learned of the life story of a travel blogger who travels for work. I even made friends through this travel blog, which I am very grateful for!
It’s an exciting period for me. I came across lots of opportunities in my area of interest. I’m in talks to collaborate with companies that I am very thrilled to work with. The prospect of this just excites me!
I’ve had the privilege of living the life I’ve always wanted – from exploring new places to trying new food establishments. Essentially, I got to be a tourist in my own hometown, Singapore.
If you’re an introvert (like me) and yet still want to expand your network and meet new people, here are 15 tried and tested tips you can work on.
Where To Make Friends On the Road
1. Attend events or meet ups
Have an interest in typography/ scrapbooking/ soccer? Join an interest group! Be it food, travel, yoga or beauty, there’s always a community out there for you!
I usually go on Facebook groups before I’m moving to a city to get to know the vibe and the community. There’s also a website called Meetup where you can choose what groups you want to join and interact with, depending on your interests, hobby or location.
Don’t be afraid of going alone. Going on your own opens up opportunities to meet new people.
I would take part in Lululemon’s yoga community classes, even if no one would go with me. The community is uplifting – everyone is so kind and friendly that you don’t ever feel alone.
Which brings me to my next point…
2. Free walking tours
Free walking tours have almost no barriers to entry – anyone with any budget can sign up. This is where you’ll find tourists from all over the world – some who travel as couples, others on their own. Most of them are young, eager travellers, just like you and I, which makes striking a conversation with these like-minded travellers easy!
Who knows, you may find yourself having more things in common than you originally thought. Surely breaking the ice and having conversations while learning about the city beats having a one-way conversation with the tour guide?
That was how I befriended a Canadian Erasmus student while we were in Hamburg during a free walking tour, and that led to an eventful evening later that day, instead of one spent alone!
3. Pub crawl
If you are looking to add more fun and excitement for your trip, try pub crawling. Pub crawl, if you’re new to this term, is where you’ll follow a guide who will bring you to a couple of bars/ clubs within a night, with a complimentary drink at each bar you go.
There’s no better way to make friends than over drinks, great music and dancing! Because you’ll be together with the same group of people at every bar you hop to, the risk of running into nasty people is lower in these places.
As introverted as I am, pub crawl opened my eyes to a whole new experience in Hamburg, having some crazy fun with people I barely knew before the night!
4. Hostels
There are communal resting areas and sometimes a bar in most hostels. Hang around in these places, and offer a smile to anyone you see sitting alone. More likely than not, they feel the same way as you do – apprehensive about saying hello.
Start with the basics – ask them where they are from, or their plans in the city, and you could get an easy conversation going! Some hostels even organize game nights or movie nights on certain days, so be actively involved!
One go-to hostel website I frequent is HostelWorld. They have a comprehensive list of many hostels all over the world, often at unbeatable prices!
5. Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing in Ghent, Belgium
Of course, gaining popularity is the website Couchsurfing, a site where you get to look for and stay at a host’s place for free, in return for some cultural exchange.
Sure, you never know what your host may be like prior to the meet, and staying in a stranger’s house can sometimes be daunting. Screening of the host takes experience, but once you have weeded out the bad for the best, your host can give you the best local stories you can never imagine.
Apart from getting to know the host itself, on the off chance that there are other guests that are hosted by the same host as you, that is another chance to befriend fellow travellers and travel the city together! That was how I travelled with 2 Ecuador students who were also hosted at the same time in Nice, France, and we ended up taking a day trip to Monaco together!
5. Carpooling
Heading from one place to another within a country? Instead of taking a flight, train or bus, carpooling might be a cheaper option.
Carpooling is a way in which drivers and passengers who’re willing to travel together between cities share the cost of the journey. One such website I used to use when I was in Central Europe is BlaBlaCar.
During the times when I had to carpool from my student town in Rouen, France, to Beauvais airport (where most low-cost carriers operate to/ from in France), carpooling was the only option.
Sunset en route
While I wouldn’t deny it takes a certain level of trust to trust a stranger to drive you to your destination in a foreign land, most of the drivers are working-class locals commuting in between work and home, so there is a certain level of credibility established.
Once you are safe in the car, some drivers can be great conversationalists. It’s during these times that I learned how the locals live, about the local economy and the politics of the country.
6. In-flight
As travellers, surely we would have taken flights before. Of the many times we have sat on an airplane, how many times have you struck a conversation with your neighbour?
Sometimes all you need to do is say hi, and a world of unknown will be open to you. That was just what I did on my connecting flight in Athens. I met a Greek girl, and she shared some of the most underrated Greece islands not to be missed. True to her advice, I checked Milos out, and that was the best decision ever.
Next time you go on board a flight, take special notice of your neighbour’s behaviours. Is he carrying a book you have read before, or struggling with the remote control? Maybe he needs an extra napkin, or an extra pair of hands? That is your opportunity right there!
7. Sleeping at airports
Not many would entertain this option of sleeping at airports, but a select number still do, for reasons such as to save on accommodation or flight costs. Some airports have designated areas for sleeping over, and that is where people in the same situation as you congregate.
While some really do value their rest, others simply need to pass their time. What happens when bored people come together? They start conversations! Some of them really do appreciate having someone they can share stories and spend their long hours with!
How To Make Friends As An Introvert
1. Be proactive.
First and foremost, you’ll never go far meeting new people or maintaining existing relationships if you refuse to take the initiative.
Drop a message to an old friend. Somebody’s birthday coming up? Wish him/ her happy birthday! Know of somebody going through a rough patch? A short note would most certainly make his/her day a tad better.
2. Don’t be afraid to strike up new conversations.
So what if you don’t know anyone? There’s nothing to lose about saying hello. Avoid awkward conversations by asking general relatable questions, such as learning more about the person you’re speaking to, the reasons you both are in the same event, and interests they have.
Don’t be afraid to share about your life and common interests too. The enthusiasm of finding out you are actually more similar with this stranger than you thought is contagious.
3. Tap on your existing network.
If throwing yourself into the unknown intimidates you, reconnect with old friends/ seniors. Ask how they are doing, catch up over a meal.
It’s always nice to hear stories from different perspectives, or seek an opinion about something you care about from someone totally out of your realm.
4. Be open, be spontaneous!
So a stranger plucked the courage to strike a conversation with you? Be friendly, be interested. This can happen whether you are online or offline. I recently connected with Expat Edna when she came to town.
She has the most exciting life story ever! I also met a reader from Germany who came to Asia for a visit. I enjoy listening to people’s stories.
. Smile!
Nothing puts people off more than a grumpy face. I’ve had people commenting I have a nasty-looking face, but since the beginning of this semester, I put in the effort to appear welcoming.
These days, the comments I hear are mostly positive, even from people I barely know. So a smile does really work wonders on your outlook in life as well as on others’ impression of you.
6. Be interesting.
Had an extraordinary experience? Find the opportunity to share it! That helps in starting conversations. My past experiences travelling to 55 countries under $7000 gets people wanting to hear more. So did my experience couchsurfing in Europa and driving a campervan in New Zealand!
Know someone in need of tips on studying abroad or advice on travelling to Prague? Don’t be afraid to share about your experiences and things to look out for! You wouldn’t be blowing your own horn if the things you share are beneficial to him.
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Granted, it takes some form of courage to be doing some of these ways mentioned to befriend another. Taking the initiative to strike a conversation may be an uphill task for introverts, but once you take the first step, you’ll be thankful to yourself for doing that!
Leave as a traveller; come back with a global network of friends.
Interesting read. As an introvert, it is indeed difficult to make friends. Sometimes, actually very often, I do not even want to. Heck, I am my favorite person. I do enjoy my friends and I even like making new friends.
Hey Charles. You are right, as long as you’re comfortable in your own skin, that’s all that matters! I like making new friends, though I enjoy solitude as much too! You’re not alone. 🙂
Great post. I find travelling a great way to overcome my introverted tendencies as I’m more likely to meet like minded people. It’s definitely easier if I can work in some cool experiences to the conversation like my bungy jump. Always good to know there are other travelling introverts like me!
Yeah, sharing about your out-of-the-world travel experiences almost always is a great conversation starter. You go girl! 🙂
I’d heard about Meetups but only recently plucked up the courage to give it a go now we’re based in a new city for a few months. I wasn’t sure if there’d be many groups I’d slot into but have been really pleasantly surprised at the variety of interests represented. There are even some introvert-specific groups! 🙂
Oh really? It must be pretty cool interacting with other introverts. I wonder how it’ll turn out. 😛 Thanks for sharing! How was your experience like?