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| Look at my amazing selfie skills |
IF you learn how to make new friends. Friends you make while backpacking are incredible! So to get that experience you have to pick up pretty quickly on how exactly to get yourself some new friends...
I'm 20
American
female
blond
and small (nice word for saying im freaking short..)
So I will
shamelessly use the “cute” angle to make friends. Cute is fun, harmless, and approachable so why not go with it? I want someone to enjoy my time with! I have yet to
have someone turn down hanging out with the friendly kind American solo traveler! Now who do you look for?
With that in mind I always look for guys first. I know that sounds bad but there is reasoning here. Why? Not cause
I want anything (besides legit friendship) but because girls who are traveling just
aren’t friendly (At least not until much later in the night). Any girl who has traveled on her own knows this. Groups of girls are the most intimidating and unapproachable group of travelers you can come across. Solo girls- maybe. But for me I just stick with the guys.
So
once I see some guys I try to figure out what language they are speaking. I
usually want to go for English speakers so that we can get to know each other deeper with a common language, at least when the evening is starting out (side note: no I don't only make friends to go out at night but that is the time when travelers usually convene at a hostel and when I've made most of my friends). I will get to the more foreign people later in
the night when we don’t have to sit and talk for so long.
So English speakers,
or potential English speakers, it is. However Americans: I avoid them like the plague.
Holy shit we really are loud, ignorant, and overall just terrible to be around. Not to mention, we are way too self-obsessed. Its painful. Americans: out
Once you know what type of person
you are looking for, now how many?
Groups more than 4? Nope. You can’t just walk straight
up. You have to catch one of them alone at the bar or at the sink washing dishes to get your in.
Solo
traveler? Maybe if they look very outgoing and cool.
But you might end up isolated just the two of you. You want to maximize your
friend-making potential.
So that leaves groups of 2-4 as optimal.
I am going to
disclose now that Aussies are my absolute favorite people to befriend.
Seriously they are incredible. They are obviously attractive (my type) , and they are chilled but down for anything.
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| Aussie buying me a rose |
You’re looking for someone
friendly and welcoming? Aussies.
Genuinely good people? Aussies
Funniest
accent and sayings? Clearly aussie.
Down for a crazy night out or a fun relaxed night in? Aussie
But also
laid back and not high maintenance?
Are you catching the trend here… ?
And lastly
someone with good travel stories (because all Aussies travel like crazy adventurers and
have been all over Europe and the world <--- exaggeration but not that far from the truth) but don’t talk nonstop about themselves. Well then
you have it: you are looking for Aussies! (plus you won't have to look far: they are ev-ery-where)
I would say the runners up in
awesomeness and adventurous spirit would be South Africans (they are all also
very cute and all work out boats? My dream!) or South Americans- especially
from Argentina and Brazil.
So you have picked your target and now its time to make
your move. The easiest in: Get in close enough vicinity to someone and just
start a convo. Sit down at the empty table next to a group or on the couch next to a few people, or plain old just walk past them, make eye contact, and then with a confidence but casual tone (don't want to be interrogators or stalkers here) ask “where are you from”.
Done.
(but add a nice smile in there)
I kid you not. Start a convo, you'll sit down to join them at some point and you are set up for a great time with great people
Happy travels,
Keep in free
Alexis
