Moving to a different country can be challenging, even people who have lived abroad can at times feel quite lost for a while.
As a recruiter I hear often from candidates that they are worried about moving abroad, because that means that they will end up completely alone in a new country with no network. That can be a scary thought. But if you try to turn it around and think ‘I will be moving to a new country, create new experiences and have the chance to meet new and exciting people’, you will be able to create a positive experience out of it.
Luckily, we are living in a globalised world where it is much easier than it was before to meet new people. If you really think about it, you will be able to find lots of ways where you can interact with new people, and possibly make friendships that last for a lifetime.
Personally, I have lived in around 6 countries. The first time I moved by myself I was extremely nervous (and excited at the same time) for what was coming. But the second time, it was much easier, because I already had a feeling of what to expect.
I recently moved to Malaga, and I would like to give you some ways that I have personally used to meet new people and plan to use (when the covid-restrictions are out of the picture).
Try to interact with your neighbours
– this is quite basic and can depend on where you decide to live. If you live in a building complex where people who are around your age lives, then you have a great chance to actually meet someone. You probably pass by each other daily, why not introduce yourself one day.
Join Language exchange events
– I think you can find such event anywhere in a country. You can search on google ‘Tandem language exchange’ or ‘language exchange’. It is a social event where you can interact and socialise with people while improving your language skills, which gives a topic to talk about.
Join a Fitness team. Depending on what you like to do, it could be yoga or paddle, you can join any local team in your city and have the chance to meet people who actually enjoy doing the same thing as you – and at the same time work on your fitness.
Join different events via Eventbrite.com, Meetup.com, or internations.com and others. You have the opportunity to search for events that you really want to join and hopefully you are able to find an interesting event, which could be a cooking class or something completely different. There are a lot of local events happening in any city, and it is just about putting the time and dedication to join one.
Expand your network.
When you hopefully meet an interesting person (or a group of people) that you want to get to know more, then why not expand your network by being introduced to their friends. You would be surprised how easy it can be and also how willing people are to introduce you to their friends. This is an easy and great way to built up a social network.
Use social media to reach out to local people.
We live in a world where social media plays a big part of our lives. Why not take advantage of it and reach out to some people that you think are interesting and who seem to have the same hobbies and interest like you. It can be scary at first, but so rewarding after. Just think about, how you would feel if someone reached out to you.
Moving to a new country is such an exciting journey. You might come across some challenges but that is part of life. But being prepared for anything and excited to go out there and be social in the first couple of months will benefit you in the long run.
