Making friends as an expat
Making the move abroad can be a daunting experience for anyone, regardless of their age. Despite this, a large number of retiring expats anticipate that moving abroad and embracing local life will potentially be harder for them than others. However, this is not true. While the move itself might take a lot of planning, making friends abroad as an expat is easy – when you know how. Here at Santa Fe Relocation, we’re taking a look at how to make friends abroad in your 60’s as an expat, so you can enjoy peace of mind that you will be able to fit in with the locals easily.
Cafes
When making friends abroad, you shouldn’t be afraid to resort to the old but gold tactics which helped to build up your network back home. Goings to cafes, whether they are cutesy corner cafes or polished patisseries in the middle of your city, is one of the best ways to meet new people, and a quick conversation could flourish into a lifetime of friendship. The next time you walk into your local coffee shop for a muffin and hot beverage of your choice, make the effort to approach people, regardless of how young or old they might be. Strike a conversation – you never know which interesting stories you might here.
Gym & Health Spas
You might not want to go to the gym, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the spa available! Looking into getting a membership for your local gym or spa as soon as you arrive will not only be highly beneficial for your health, but it opens the door to potentially meeting a number of other people. This is especially true if you sign up to some fitness classes. If you attend the same classes as others on a regular basis, you will begin to see some familiar faces with whom you can build a friendship.
Lunch Clubs
If you’re a lady who likes to lunch and wishes to continue sipping tea or coffee, but in warm climates, then we strongly suggest joining a lunch club. Lunch clubs are a highly popular option among those in their 60’s, and are usually held in local places, meaning that they are easily accessible – some may even be in walking distance of your home. Making friends over a meal and a cup of tea – or two – is one of the best ways to make friends abroad as an expat, regardless of your age, and is certainly nothing to worry about.
Volunteering
By attending lunch clubs, you will soon learn about the number of unmissable voluntary roles in your local area. Getting involved in the local community through volunteering is a great way to help worthy causes and can open up some opportunities for socialising with like-minded people who want to make a true difference. Moreover, when working closely with other people to execute various projects, you will meet a variety of people – not just other expats – enabling you to spread your wings and meet the locals who want to do their utmost best to help their community, just like you.
Workshops
If your day is full of other exciting activities, such as taking your fluffy friend for a walk along the promenade, and you simply don’t have the time to volunteer, you may want to consider joining a workshop instead. Workshops such as art and crafts, or writing, are a great way to meet new people and let your creativity flow! If you are unsure where to look, ask in your local cafes, community centres or check notice boards on a regular basis to find out whether anything interesting is taking place in your local area soon.
Moving abroad is a daunting experience, but can be even more worrying for those retiring in warmer climates. Regardless, when you put your mind to it, making friends when you move abroad is straightforward, and soon enough you’ll be introducing your new expat friends to newcomers.
For more information, and to find out how we can help with your move abroad, get in touch with a member of our friendly expert team today.
