Making friends as an expat
I have something I need to confess… I picked up someone right in front of my husband. Granted this was at a wine tasting and I was on my 3rd or 4th pour. But, I heard the unmistakable accent of a fellow American and had to say “hi”. So I ever so gracefully walked over to her and said “Excuse me, where are you from“. She paused for a brief moment probably trying to evaluate if I was a creeper or just really bad at flirting, once she had identified all the available exits she replied: “America“. Not to be outwitted I said: “Yeah, but where; I’m from Wisconsin”. In a flash she seemed to realize that I was 1) probably not a creeper, 2) a lonely fellow American, 3) and there with my husband, so not flirting at all.
Fast forward a bit as the conversation less awkward as we found out we had a few things in common. We added each other on What’sApp and plotted a dinner. Dinner was a success and we found that we have even more things in common.
So what’s the point of sharing this? If you hear someone talking and they sound like they are from your home country don’t be afraid to say hello. The worst thing that will happen is they will think you are flirting. The best thing that could happen is that you will make a connection, which could lead to an enjoyable expat experience. If you aren’t comfortable talking to complete strangers find a local meet-up group that you are interested in and attend a couple of events.
Whats tips do you have for meeting people when you move to a new area?
Recent Comments