Finding meet-ups and friends while travelling solo

In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, I
share how I find meetups and make meaningful friendships while
traveling solo. Back when I started my nomadic journey over 22
years ago, it was surprisingly easy—I relied on just a few
websites like Couchsurfing and Meetup, and that was enough to
connect with interesting people wherever I went. Nowadays, things
are more complicated. Oversaturation and generic events make it
harder to find truly like-minded people. I still go to general
meetups, but I focus on connecting with a few individuals and
asking them about local resources—like WhatsApp groups, niche
websites, or interest-based communities that aren’t easily found
online.


My current strategy involves using meetups as a gateway to
discover more private or targeted groups. For example, in Bali I
found a great language exchange through a platform called
Nomio—something I wouldn’t have discovered without asking around.
I also lean on tools like AI for deeper research when Google and
Facebook Events don’t cut it. Recently in Denver, AI helped me
find an ASL meetup I’d never have found otherwise. There’s no
one-size-fits-all tool anymore, but if you show up, ask
questions, and stay open, you’ll uncover great communities and
build genuine friendships wherever you are.



If you need one-on-one language guidance, schedule a consultation
session with Benny at languagehacking.com/chat.


And don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp
here!


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Instagram: @irishpolyglot
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