Ways to make friends in a new country

Moving to another country can be hard as you adapt to your new surroundings, particularly when moving to locations as contrasting as the United Arab Emirates. However, with the globetrotting world citizens of today it is unlikely that you will visit or relocate anywhere that doesn’t have an already established expat community - unless of course you have managed to secure an obscure role in middle of the Sahara desert or in the central Amazon.

So whilst it’s always going to be hard to make new friends wherever you are, you can at least rely on the fact that you are not alone. There are various ways you can go about meeting new people, whether you are in the UAE, Europe or anywhere else in the world:

1.  Number one has to be the first step for anybody, anywhere who is looking to meet people - the internet. We're not talking about dating sites, the internet has evolved to the stage now where every aspect of human life is catered for - including finding new friends.  Delve into a few expat forums and find out when meet-ups and social events are taking place.

2.  There’s no better way of meeting new people than killing two birds with one stone and joining your local sports organisation. Due to the amount of expats both in the UAE and other similar countries, there are usually plenty of sport-oriented clubs which attract expats from a variety of nations. For those of us who are a little less sporty spice and a little more posh spice, there will be plenty of alternative clubs and organisations - whether that be card games such as poker or bridge, photography or perhaps even the likes of film clubs.   Your local Time Out list all the options open to you.

3.   Another good source of information is the local papers. Check out the classifieds of Gulf News or the Khaleej Times for groups and individuals that may well be in similar positions to you.

4.  Possibly the easiest solution is to try and connect with the people you work with. Expats are here in the UAE for work-related reasons so the chances are you going surrounded by people in a similar position to you. So make an effort to socialise after work, invite co-workers to go for a drink with you or even a meal.  And if you're at home with the kids, other parents at home with kids will be looking for people just like you.

5.  The final point to consider when trying to make new friends in a new country is don’t stay in. Rather than sitting at home and watching your recorded episodes of Coronation Street, get out to a bar or cafe instead. Being around people will often accidentally result in you getting chatting to people, even if it’s just the barista. Getting to know people regardless of their positions will always be good going forward.

Making friends in a new country is a daunting prospect but it can be a lot easier than it seems on the surface. The key is to make an effort whether you’re at work or just wanting to watch some TV, try not to do it alone - try and get out amongst people.