Help me befriend foreigners
February 19, 2010 2:02 PM Subscribe
How do I go about making more international friends?
A bit of background:
-I live in the DC area so the pool of int'l people is large.
-I used to have a big group of international friends in college but they are spread out all over the world now (as they tend to do).
-I am a few years out of college now so just hanging out around colleges would be a bit weird I think.
So how do I go about this? I would just like to have a group of friends from different countries to practice speaking languages with, talk about world politics, soccer, foreign movies etc. I know there are probably international networking groups but I'm not sure if that will be sufficient enough. Thanks!
A bit of background:
-I live in the DC area so the pool of int'l people is large.
-I used to have a big group of international friends in college but they are spread out all over the world now (as they tend to do).
-I am a few years out of college now so just hanging out around colleges would be a bit weird I think.
So how do I go about this? I would just like to have a group of friends from different countries to practice speaking languages with, talk about world politics, soccer, foreign movies etc. I know there are probably international networking groups but I'm not sure if that will be sufficient enough. Thanks!
Watch the world cup in bars this summer - it will be a great way to meet people, esp if you pick a cosy place and keep going to the same one. You will get to know your fellow spectators and I promise they will be international.
There is also a European Business School networking group, but I'm having trouble finding their website.
If you go to new york: www.frenchtuesdays.com
posted by zia at 2:28 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
There is also a European Business School networking group, but I'm having trouble finding their website.
If you go to new york: www.frenchtuesdays.com
posted by zia at 2:28 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Travel?
posted by rokusan at 2:48 PM on February 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by rokusan at 2:48 PM on February 19, 2010 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Join Couchsurfing and see if there is a local group that meet regularly in your area. In DC, I'm sure there's some sort of group that you could meet up with. In my experience, that has been a good way to meet people of all sorts of backgrounds and interests in an informal way. Meeting local couchsurfers is also one of the easiest ways to get references so that when you decide to use it for travel, people will be more willing to host you.
On that website, go to the "Community" tab and search for groups. It looks like there's a DC French Language group and a Language Learning and Sharing group. And a Hebrew group.
posted by BlooPen at 3:00 PM on February 19, 2010 [4 favorites]
On that website, go to the "Community" tab and search for groups. It looks like there's a DC French Language group and a Language Learning and Sharing group. And a Hebrew group.
posted by BlooPen at 3:00 PM on February 19, 2010 [4 favorites]
I play on an international server of a MMO. I've met none of these people in real life, but I've grown relationships with people all over the world through this game, and I just think it's awesome that if I were to ever go to Brazil or Australia or Britain, I know someone who lives there and we could meet up and do stuff.
posted by Seboshin at 3:26 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Seboshin at 3:26 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sign up for events from the grad schools and/or embassies? We have tons of events at my school, some open to the larger community and others not. I'm sure you can find some lists to join.
posted by emkelley at 3:51 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by emkelley at 3:51 PM on February 19, 2010
Best answer: Seconding BlooPen on Couchsurfing. It has totally changed the way I travel, and has opened up lots of new opportunities in the places I lived. Love, love love it. Great experiences all around, as a host, as a guest, and in going to random events organized by different city groups.
You will find that even in the non-language-oriented events, it attracts visitors and an international group. Example: I (American, just moved here) went out tonight with a CS guy to a concert, last night to a city event at a bar/restaurant, where (in France) half of the group was French, and the rest were Canadian, Australian, German, Spanish, and Djiboutian (?!).
There is also a Metafilter group.
meetup.com also has these language exchange or country-specific or "newcomers" groups. But me, I found CS much more my style.
posted by whatzit at 4:27 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
You will find that even in the non-language-oriented events, it attracts visitors and an international group. Example: I (American, just moved here) went out tonight with a CS guy to a concert, last night to a city event at a bar/restaurant, where (in France) half of the group was French, and the rest were Canadian, Australian, German, Spanish, and Djiboutian (?!).
There is also a Metafilter group.
meetup.com also has these language exchange or country-specific or "newcomers" groups. But me, I found CS much more my style.
posted by whatzit at 4:27 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Volunteer to tutor immigrant and refugees through the ESL (English as a Second Language) program at your local college or community literacy program. Visit ethnic stores and restaurants regularly and chat with the staff. Also Postcrossing is kind of cool.
posted by MsKim at 6:18 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by MsKim at 6:18 PM on February 19, 2010
Thirding CouchSurfing. It attracts some of the best people!
Like MsKim was saying, volunteer in ESL or Citizenship Classes. Check your local library for opportunities. My mom teaches an ESL class at the Library, which is to say they all bring food and chat for an hour and a half :D
posted by Galen at 4:43 AM on February 20, 2010
Like MsKim was saying, volunteer in ESL or Citizenship Classes. Check your local library for opportunities. My mom teaches an ESL class at the Library, which is to say they all bring food and chat for an hour and a half :D
posted by Galen at 4:43 AM on February 20, 2010
Best answer: try finding culture-specific or international groups on Meetup . I met lots of great people through the Japanese and Korean language groups in Seattle.
posted by kinakomochi at 7:19 AM on February 20, 2010
posted by kinakomochi at 7:19 AM on February 20, 2010
Work as a software engineer. I'm not kidding. I work as one and I've met people from all over the world; mostly from different parts of Asia, but some from Eastern Europe and Africa as well.
posted by cosmic.osmo at 8:24 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by cosmic.osmo at 8:24 PM on February 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ashley801 at 2:07 PM on February 19, 2010