How I Make Friends While Solo Traveling



 You find a friend who is willing to travel with you, go back and forth for weeks about destinations and schedules, finally agree on the where, when, and what of your trip, get super hyped and begin making preparations, and suddenly your friend's brother is getting married that week or they read a news story about how your destination isn't safe. You try to argue your case, accommodate more scheduling issues, but the trip never happens.

I went through that same general scenario several times before I gave up on traveling with friends and decided to take the plunge into solo travel. I had places to go and people to meet, and I didn't have time anymore to wait on someone to come with me. Don't get me wrong, I love a girl's trip as much as the next 20-something female. But 99% of my travels these days are done solo.There are enough benefits to travelling alone  to write an entire article in itself! , and allows for freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want.

When I'm traveling solo, I'm almost never truly alone. I've never had any trouble making friends while traveling or finding someone to grab a bite to eat with, join me on an excursion, or just have a chat. In fact, meeting new, interesting people is my favorite aspect of travel.I've had incredibly enlightening discussions about global issues, laughed until I cried, and made unforgettable memories with people that I would never have met if I'd been traveling with a group.

That's why, when I read stories of people who went on solo trips and felt lonely the entire time, I feel really sad for them. Obviously, each of us are unique so no, solo travel may not be as enjoyable to some as it is for others. However, I really believe that with the right approach, Anyone can make friends while traveling solo and have a richer experience for it!So today I'm excited to share with you 11 tips for making friends while traveling alone. Let's dive in!

 tips for making friends while traveling alone

1. Be approachable

Okay, this seems obvious, but if your body language is telling everyone to leave you alone, then guess what? No one is going to try striking up a conversation with you. 

Here are some things to be aware of if you want to make new friends:

• Minimize use of electronics. If your head is stuck in your phone or computer or your ear buds are in, then most people will automatically stay away.

• Avoid closed body language. Crossed arms, crossed legs, angling yourself away from the other person, these are all things that signal to others that you want to be left alone.  I'm guilty of doing a lot of these subconsciously, so I have to make an effort to be aware of these habits.

• Keep your head up. If your head is always down, you're missing more than just the scenery. Typically, people require some eye contact and a clear view of the other person's face to feel confident enough to start up a conversation.

• Don't slouch. Slouching tends to indicate to others that you are bored or disengaged, warding off potential new friends.

• Remember to smile. Research shows that people tend to view neutral facial expressions as slightly negative so don't be greedy with your grins.

2. Allow for spontaneity 

This is a good tip for traveling, regardless of whether you're looking for new friends or traveling with a group. 

If you plan every minute of every day of your trip then you're not just going to stress yourself out and be tired the entire time, but you're also going to lose out on opportunities.

If you meet someone cool at your hostel or on a bus and they invite you to do something with them but you've planned and prepaid for the rest of the day then you're probably going to pass and lose out on that social opportunity. 

I usually go into trips with just a general idea of what I'd like to do while I'm there. I prepay and plan for activities that may book up fast or that are on my bucket list, but I leave as much room as possible for spontaneity.

3. Join online travel groups

I've found several really great solo travel groups on Facebook, where people share advice and can find and arrange to meet up with others who are local to or traveling in the same area as they are. 

You should find and join communities that are specific to your interests, but some that I personally love are Nomads (primarily for digital nomads),

4. Learn the language

If you really want to immerse yourself in the culture and make friends with the locals, having even basic understanding the language can be super helpful. For a long time I was pretty embarrassed to even attempt speaking other languages because I knew how awful my accent was. I shouldn't have worried at all! 

I've definitely found that people appreciate your effort, even if your skills are limited. Even if I suspect the person speaks English, I offer what I can in their native language first. Time to break out your Duolingo app and brush up on your language skills!


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