Meeting & Making Friends

[wrwatk]

Hi,

I have been living in Auckland for the past year, and my main goal was to settle in, get my PR and get used to life in a New Country. With all this now done and dusted I have decided that now is the time that I should start to meet & make new friends.

I enjoy life, and life's many adventures, the outdoors, MTB, Movies, making new friends, relaxing and a general good time with friends.

I have had a look at some websites, and I feel that they are well not really what I had in mind. If anybody has any ideas, please can you post your ideas or let me know.

Thanks,

[JandM]

I think people are always more likely to make good friends from choosing an activity they enjoy, and meeting others who are also there for that reason.

Look out for local advertising (fliers and posters) for events near you. The local library will have a list of clubs and classes, whatever your range of interest. See what the nearest RSA is doing - many of them have a huge variety of extra committees and facilities, as well as a nice place to eat and have a drink. Google your interest, with the geographical area added on.

[cappuccino]

Look at www.meetup.com . There are lots of groups covering all interests. Is a great way to meet people when you move to a new country/city.

[DMS]

To meet people you have to put yourself out there to meet people. I don't live in Auckland yet but I've been visiting 2-3 times a year for the last 7+ years and I have heaps of friends, hell they were what convinced me to move.

On my first ever visit, my ex and I had just flown into Auckland, pissing down rain and we're driving into the city when we see a guy trying to change a flat. I pull over and find out the nut was cross threaded and the cheap wrench that was included had bent. Thankfully the SUV I had rented had a X wrench which was able to provide the torque needed to get the lug nut off. We get it changed and the next thing we are invited over for breakfast which led to us meeting their circle of friends, we're having dinners, getting invited to parties and we've been kicking it ever since. This same person is now who I'm going to be staying with when I'm in country while I look for a house and he also helped me find the job I now have that was part of my decision to move.

[bulu]

What I noticed is that most people I have met in NZ are very open to new friendship and are willing to be chat-up (if one takes the effort). There was an occasion not long ago, where I was talking to lady stranger in front of a store. We were both waiting for the store to open. We ended up talking for at least 30 minutes past the opening hour.
I wouldn't dare try this anywhere else where I would have been labeled a pervert.

I often tell people, I made more friends in NZ in a two-week period than 2 years in Asia.