Stephen47

Hi,

What is the easiest way in making new friends. I'm currently on my 2nd IEC visa and so far it's been tough. I've made friends with my coworkers but that's just about it.

Anyone else felt a little isolated in a city like Toronto?

Aviator

Join clubs, volunteer, hand out $20 bills to everyone you meet?

Ben W Bell

Join Meetup.com and look for groups that match your interests. Join then and go to a meet, you'll soon meet new people.

Zoe Bell

yes it is very easy to feel isolated in a big city like Toronto.
Do you have any hobbies? usually a good way to meet like minded people
try meet up http://canada.meetup.com/
to find groups.

It takes a lot of work to make new friends and quite frankly you have to be the one willing to put in the leg work

Quite frankly you need them more than they need you so you have to be prepared to approach it with that mindset

Zoe Bell

lol that's really funny , in separate rooms typing the same reply

catpea33

Stephen

Yeah, same issue here. I'm on my 2nd IEC too. I have the added complication of living in Quebec in French and being an evil English person to boot! Not to mention that as a geologist who goes off to drilling camp, all the friends I make are in some far-flung places. My best Canadian friend lives 1800km from me!

I've done the whole joining clubs thing but it seems people just quickly run off afterwards instead of heading for dinner or whatever like we would back home. Have you had that experience too? Trying to figure out if it's a Quebec thing or a Canadian thing...

Maybe we should both do what Aviator suggested and give people $20 to be our friends! lol.

bats

Maybe you two should go to a meet up group?

Stephen47

Thank you so much for replying back to my message. It's been ever so tough trying to make new friends. I have really tried in making new friends by going out to the pub and mingling with other brits and other nationalities but once you meet them a few times they're busy with their own friends and just generally too busy to hang out with you. They disappeared then you're left at stage one again.

I have looked at meetup.com but I haven't joined a club yet so maybe I should take a good look on what is on offer. If it all goes bad then I may have to resort giving everyone $20 per person just to be my friend or pay them $50 so they can hang out with me at every opportunity

BenBuzz

Having moved to Brandon, MB about six weeks ago as a university graduate it was/is certainly a shock coming to a new place and literally having no friends! I realise this will take time so am not too worried at the moment, but also know that you have to put the effort in.

I've joined a couple of clubs and tonight am going to go to the pub by myself for the first time...a bit sad but I am badly craving just sitting at the bar chilling out with a pint!

Oink

Take lots of money and don't speak to strangers in the bar. Its not the UK, they'll think you're gay.

bats

I think finding new friends is like finding a new man. You only get some interest when you aren't looking.

JonboyE

I agree, not that I have ever tried to find a new man.

withabix

Throw your keys in the bowl?

Oaken

Find a hobby, take a course in something that interests you or just move to a ski resort where everyone is in the same boat and looking to make new friends.

cjones

Don't be desperate, or you'll end up attracting the sort of pains-in-the-arse who hone in on that type of neediness. Once they have hold you'll never be able to get rid of them and will eventually have to move away to avoid them... Then you'll be back to square one again...