Building community abroad
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the blog!
Today's entry is a bit more personal, but I am sure the topic will speak to many of you.
By now, you might know I moved to Cape Town last August for a little under a year. I want to share my experience relocating to a different continent, which has undoubtedly required adjustments.
I can safely say I felt the rush to recreate my "old" life and day-to-day in my new location, which is not a bad thing. However, I wanted to remain mindful of staying curious and open to what new things I could beautifully implement in my life.
One thing that definitely helped me make new friends has been hanging out in places of (my) interest to hopefully meet like-minded people. I found my tribe in the yoga studios, workout classes, cute coffee shops, and festivals, but going to your new local church, art galleries, or hiking could be where you'll find your new best friends. One of the main reasons this website exists is to connect like-minded individuals worldwide, so you know there are people you can relate to everywhere.
Despite being initially difficult, what has warmed my heart has been dedicating time to people who need it most. South Africa might call for this more easily, but I believe you can devote your time to kids, shelter homes or animals, anywhere. In my eyes, the whole purpose is to bond with others, whether it's the volunteers or the people you're helping. In bonus, you also get to be part of a tight-knit community, and it will reinforce relationships with people who don’t necessarily have a lot in common with you, except for their humanness (which is actually the most important...). Helping and giving without expecting is the most beautiful thing you can offer others, and yourself.
Being transparent, I found making friends as an adult to be challenging. Everyone is caught up in their lives, especially if you're the new addition to an already existing friends group or getting to know locals who already have their friends and their lives. Unlike when you were a kid, you also share your vulnerabilities differently and can be less comfortable opening up about the hard things. It took me a lot longer to feel ready to share tough life details, but the responses I have gotten were deep and very supportive. It has been so worth it!
My last piece of advice is to remain open! Say yes to the things you might not have tried or done back home but that sound interesting and fun in your new environment. You will meet people with different life experiences than yours, who look different, and whose cultural upbringings might be foreign to yours. So what? Learn from that, and get curious. We are so quick to judge, but I promise that if you make an effort to keep your mind open and listen with attention, you will learn a great deal. It's actually more fun hanging out with people different from you and who you've known!
The more, the merrier…
