Making new connections while abroad 👯‍♀️ Here are 3 things you can do

As your life changes; so will your circle.

Friendships, relationships and our "circle" in general are meaningful to many of us abroad. Some women miss the support, other want someone to share experiences and adventures with, while some simply want someone to listen or give us a hug.

Whatever the reason, we would all like to be part of a positive circle, no matter where we live.

Making new connections as adults isn't always easy, so how can we approach it more positively?

Have you ever attended an exclusive "meet & match" event? How about a dedicated "expat party"? Talked to a random mom in the playground? Perhaps a coffee or picnic in the park with a new Facebook buddy?

Just a few months ago, we thought all of those options were crazy. We couldn't imagine ever enjoying something like that. To be honest, we're both extremely shy in social situations.

But, guess what, a friend, a date, a mom who can invite your kid to a play date... will not appear out of nowhere - you may have to do some uncomfortable things to make it happen.

It's up to you 😄 if you want to expand & improve your social circle abroad, you should put yourself out there, and say to others "Hey, I'm ___ , nice to meet you, would you like to (something fun you can do together)"
This could be done online, as an introduction inside a Facebook Group, or as a reply to someone else's post. It could be in real life to the stranger sitting next to you in your favorite coffee place. It could also be during a dedicated social event, or at the park... it really doesn't matter.

The only thing that distinguishes one lady who makes new positive connections from one who isn't - is her willingness to try.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and the connection might not be the one you wanted. But you'll never know unless you try.

😄 We made the effort a couple of times now - for example, Maayan spoke to random moms in the park while Gal went to a "meet & match" event . . .
We try. That's how we get better at this; and we approach the situations, with a smile.

We understand that it's not easy, but eventually, when you'll make those new connections, when you'll find yourself in situations where you'll feel proud & happy - it will be worth it. And if you feel like you could use some support while working on that, please reach out, we're here for you.

So what can you do to make new connections abroad?

👯‍♀️ Join various Facebook Groups of women living in ________ / expats living in _______ and introduce yourself with a simple post :
👍Greeting ("Hey I'm ___ , nice to e-meet you")
👍Something fun / interesting about you ("I like ....", "My friends say that I am ....", "You might not believe it but I actually never done ...", "I'm a big fan of . . .")
👍Call to action ("How about we get together?" , "Anyone here is interested by it as well?", "Wondering if you'd like to ...?")

Here's how it could look like:
Hey, I'm Gal, so nice to be part of this group! You might not believe it, but I actually never visited The top of the Arc de Triomphe, and heard it is really beautiful. Would you be interested in visiting it together?

If this feels too much for you 😅 You can look for similar posts by other members, and reply to their invitations to meet - there are a lot of invitations for movies, coffee, dancing, game nights, museum etc. You just have to pick what you would like to do most (so you meet people with who you can create real connections)

👯‍♀️Attend meet ups (small or big - depend on your level of shyness).
These could be dedicated events for expats, but not only.
👍 You can go on "speed friending" - it's a thing these days in many countries.
👍 You can check the app "meetup" to see what's happening in your area.
👍 You can look for events inside the Facebook groups that people / companies organize.
👍 You can ask your roommate/colleague/friend, to invite you as +1 to the next event they go to.

👯‍♀️ Strengthen your resilience, confidence & zest - so that it will be easier for you to approach others, and put yourself out of your comfort zone.
As we said earlier, making new connections can be challenging for adults, even more when living abroad, so the best thing you can do is do the inner-work so you feel better about yourself while going through this process of meeting new people.

If you feel like you could benefit from some guidance on how to strengthen your resilience, confident & zest, let's book a friendly chat ; so you could see what it is to work with us, and how you can benefit from it. All we ask is from you is to fill in this short form, and we'll reach out within 48h with availabilities for our call.

Sending positive vibes your way ✨

Maayan & Gal 

Photo by Matias Difabio on Unsplash