When you arrive in a new country, it can be difficult at first to build up a network of friends. Luxembourg and Belgium have the advantage of having a large number of expatriates. This international community makes it easier to mingle and integrate newcomers into local circles of friends and life. What can be more difficult are the first weeks or months. Here are a few ideas to make those first encounters easier.
Social networks
Even before arriving in the country, you can join expat groups on Facebook or other networks to get to know certain people and learn more about local lifestyles.
You can also join groups specializing in a specific area of interest (cinema, sports, model making, cooking, hiking…), to meet people with similar tastes and find out about activities to do.
Once there, apps like Eventbrite are useful for finding activities to do and meeting people. Meetup even lets you find groups and organize activities to suit your tastes: yoga, role-playing or knitting!
Last but not least, traditional dating apps like Tinder work well in any country, and are a great way to get rid of loneliness.
Actual meeting places
Taking part in afterworks is a great way to get to know your colleagues and meet new people.
Learning a new language, whether English or your native tongue, is a great way to integrate and communicate. You can sign up for a course or take part in a language exchange, learning the local language in exchange for your mother tongue. This second option is interesting for both parties, and gives you the chance to meet local people.
Joining an association, whether it’s a sports, cultural or voluntary organization, is a great way to meet new people in a very positive environment, and make new friends easily.
Attending the many evening conferences is also a great way to meet people interested in the same subjects as you.
Finally, the simplest: get involved in the life of your neighborhood, frequenting the bars and restaurants around you. People will quickly spot you and start to take an interest in you.
Coliving
It’s the ideal home for expats who want to make friends quickly. Sharing the kitchen, the living room and thus a part of their daily lives quickly creates bonds, often for a long time to come. New arrivals are quickly invited to share certain activities with those already present, and benefit from guides to help them get to know their new country better.
The key is to be curious, active, take an interest in local life and do as many activities as possible. Seek to enjoy life and, quite naturally, you’ll meet new people and build a network of friends. Don’t wait until you have friends to enjoy life. Enjoy and you’ll have friends. That way, you’ll get the most out of your stay in a new country.