How to Make Friends While Studying Abroad

November 11, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Uncategorized

Nick Sanders asked:


Most students study abroad with the intent of making new friends and immersing themselves in a new culture and new community. However, many students end up forming a group with other students from their home country and not making the most of the brilliant opportunity they have. The first thing to do when you decide to study abroad is to work on gaining self confidence, and read some news reports on the country you are going too. Give yourself some background knowledge and something to talk about. Then, make sure you know enough of the language to have conversations with others.

When you reach your destination country, remember that you are going to have to put effort into making friends. Local students may seem standoffish, but are probably just waiting for you to break the ice. The first group of students to start with is other international students studying with you. These are students in your situation, and will want to make friends too. You can make a variety of friends from different countries in this way, and find people to socialise with and practise the country’s language with.

Next, don’t presume that orientation seminars or ice breaker events are pointless, as they are there to help you make friends. Activities such as sticking your name to your head or talking about yourself for two minutes may seem daunting, but will help you make global friendships. Attend a few, and you’ll make many friends in a very easy way. Universities hold these events to encourage everyone to make friends, and they are usually tried and tested methods.

If you want to make friends with locals, you will then need to arrange social gatherings outside of university time. Make sure you are always safe and that somebody knows where you are; make sure you aren’t wandering alone, and take money and a map. Go to different surroundings, and see who you’ll meet there. You might meet friends in malls or clubs, or less obvious places such as coffee shops. Remember that as long as you are friendly and polite most people will respond positively to you, and try talking to different groups of people. Local teenagers will know the best places to hang out, but local adults will know where to get cheap or fresh food, and where student deals are available. However, make sure that you know the customs of the local area, and try not to offend anyone. Watch what you wear and say, and if you are somewhere with strong beliefs, then you should adhere to them. Cover yourself up if necessary, or take off your jewellery. If you meet a special someone, keep public displays to a minimum and research the local laws for your area. In some countries, kissing outside can gain you a caution! Your university should have information on the area if you need some, or try googling it. You will struggle to make friends if you don’t appear to respect the country’s boundaries.

Finally, there is nothing wrong with becoming friends with other people from your home country, but don’t limit yourself. While you will probably become best friends with someone who is at your Uni, you will miss out on a lot of the pleasures of being a student studying abroad if you don’t make the most of the social opportunities it gives you. Remember to use your language skills, take photos and make friends, and you’ll have a brilliant time.



Making Friends

August 9, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Advice

carol stanley asked:


 

Making Friends

 

Friends are so important, especially as we age. Our good friends are like chosen family. They often treat us better than some of our family members. There are many kinds of friendships as well as many reasons why we select certain people to be our friend. Sometimes it is as simple as living close to each other. Sometimes it is about having a common interest or need. Sometimes we just like each other and have absolutely nothing in common.

We meet these friends at a variety of places. When we have young children it is really easy to find friends. Our kids almost bring them home to us. As we get older and perhaps no longer working or doing a lot of volunteer work, it becomes far more difficult to meet and make these friends.

Aging also brings on other issues. Sometimes people are bombarded with financial and medical problems that keep them from being social. Some people seem to be happy to keep the friends they have and not make new ones. When you are older and want to make some new friends you have to put yourself and sometimes get out of your comfort zone. You have to be the inviter often and gently push your way in to a group that is already settled.

When moving to a new place and looking to make some new acquaintances and connections there are things you can do. It does take some work and effort. Here is the list:

 

1. Join a church

2. check for activity centers

3. Join a gym

4. Join the chamber of commerce

5. Go on line to find the activities available in your area

6. Find clubs or groups that share your interests

7. Volunteer

8. Be friendly and interested in others

Very often people are caught up in their own lives and activities, so you have to have a lot of patience. The most difficult thing is to find friends who you personally can connect with. Very often they just come out of the blue.

When living in Florida I had a part time job doing “Welcome Home Services. I delivered information about the area to new families having just moved there. I was delivering my information to a very nice lady, and I was just getting up to leave, and she mentioned a book she had read. I had read it and loved it…We became lifelong friends. Never dishearten as there are many people out there who would love a wonderful friend like you.

 



Meet Online and Make Friends

July 3, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Dating

Rhonda Ray asked:


Are you sick of the traditional dating scene or just don’t want to be alone? You can meet online and makes friends to converse with or perhaps even develop a relationship, if you find that special someone.  

Being single is not always a bad thing. Some people like being single, but no one likes being lonely. There is a difference. Sometimes we just want someone to talk to or hang out without the commitment or the pressure of awkward standing at the door after a date moments.

 Online dating is a way to avoid all of the unnecessary extras that come along with “dating.” You can meet online, converse, exchange phone numbers and really get to know someone before you actually meet. Sometimes, there is no desire to date, but you find that you’ve met someone that you can talk to and enjoy conversing on the phone.  

There are tons of dating sites on the Internet, but they are not all the same. Some are targeted dating sites such as a specific ethnicity, size, gender, and even according to income.

 Before you join a dating site, you should do some searching and find ones that you think will work for your needs. Whether you’re looking for friends to go out with or you’re looking for a serious relationship, you can view profiles and see what other members are saying about themselves before you even join. This is what makes online dating so great is that you can pick and choose who you want to meet. 

The purpose of meet online dating sites is to be social and interact with others without the pressures of the normal “dating scene.” When you’re not sure what you want, but you want to start somewhere, this is the perfect place to begin your journey.

Click here to see more details : http://meetsingles247.com/



Tips on How to Make Friends

May 18, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Relationships

Francis Githinji asked:


Tips on how to make friends will guide you on how you can go about looking for people who can compliment your life. Life is all about compliments and people who make your life better or worthwhile are worth being your friends. It is a high time you stop making friends out of luck or speculation. To make friends, you need to plan for it and know exactly what you want. Many times, people come in our lives and we have no otherwise than to be close to them. It is vital to realize that you are under no obligation to be in a friendship with someone you do not even like. Therefore, friendship is a choice you make and, you need to trust yourself to make the right decision. Before you even know how to make good friends, you need to know some of the things that can give you an edge to make a lasting relationship.

The first thing is you; your character and your values. Before you meet anyone, you need to establish that there is no way you can meet great friends if you are not great. In other words, people will get what they deserve because they attract those who are similar to them. Since we all want to have great friends in out lives, we need to look for ways to become what we want. To make friends, you need to get rid of the clutter and junk in your system. Look at whatever is holding you back and decide to become better. If you deal with the issue of jealousy or selfishness, acknowledge your flaws and seek ways to overcome. To make friends, you must learn to appreciate the role of friends and the value they have in our lives. Many are going through lives saying that they do not need anybody. To the contrary, we need friends and they need us. The business of life cannot exist without true friendship. It is vital for you to notice that I’m not talking about perfection; there is no perfection.

To make friends, you need to look at things from a positive perspective. It is no wonder that most people who do not have friends are grumpy and full of negativity. In life, whatever you dream will come to be and, when you envision prosperity and success in regard to friendship, your dream will come true. After you have dealt with yourself, you will come to the easy part. When you notice potential friends, be open and friendly. This is the way we all make good friends and there is nothing complicated about it. Even if they do not wish to talk to you, you have nothing to loose; you want friends who are open minded and fun after all. Sometimes, we do not get what we expect and our hopes and expectation in friends can be watered down. Take such experiences to strengthen your will and, to realize how true friendship is important. Chances are that you will find friends who are just like you.



How to Make Friends Abroad

May 13, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Self Help

Francis Githinji asked:


We are becoming incredibly global and, making friends has never been so easy. Making friends abroad is pretty exciting and you will be very glad to know all about the cultures of others. It therefore becomes very essential to know how to make friends abroad. You do not have to travel around the world physically to meet great people. You can simple engage the new technologies that will enable you to communicate in real time with people who are anywhere in the world. I’m mainly talking about online communications and when you are making friends, you could engage chat rooms. Chat service providers are numerous and they give you a platform where you can show case yourself to the world as you get to meet new people. It is pretty easy to use chats and the following is a clear guide on how to get you communicating to potential friends online. First though, let us look at some of the reasons why you might want to meet people from abroad.

Friendship is a great motivator to meet friends abroad and, it is that exchange of culture that really opens our minds to different realities. Friends abroad might be the key to our progression. As you get to network socially, you can discover new business and job opportunities that will definitely change your life. You can meet friends from abroad to get some insights into things that you are not sure about. Instead on relying on hearsay, you can get information from people who are on the ground on a particular issue. However, you just want to kick back and have some fun. The guide is real simple and all you have to do is establish a good online service that will provide chatting and other facilities of this kind. The service provider needs to be reliable and safe. You need to look at the track record of a particular service in order to arrive at a good decision.

When you are satisfied with a service, you can register to become a member. This is where you are given the go ahead to meet friends abroad. You can choose people from any country that you wish. Before you start chatting, make sure to read the rules. Rules will protect you to meet the right people. Read them and also agree to the terms and conditions only if you are fully satisfied with them. When it comes to making friends, there are things that are acceptable and there are those that are not. For example, before you really get to know people, you should not give your personal information. It is until you are fully satisfied that you can start to give more detail on yourself. Bottom line is to have all the fun that you can as you meet new people. You will soon discover that you have the world on your fingers and that it is a new exciting world where all things are possible. Society needs friendship and we cannot survive without it. Therefore, get chatting and creating bonds that will not be broken.