I created the blog Ling The Flâneuse as part of the module requirement for my communications degree. It records some of my experience traveling abroad as a solo female traveler, including some How-to contents, itineraries, reflections, interviews, and personal encounters in a first-person narrative 🎒

Here is an excerpt on How To Make Friends When You Travel Abroad:

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“But don’t you get lonely?”

That’s probably one of the questions I get asked the most when I tell people I like traveling alone. As far as I’m concerned, I savor solitude when I travel alone, as it gives me the opportunity to truly reflect on what I’m seeing and experiencing.

However, the extroverted nature of my introverted self sometimes yearns for interaction with other human beings, especially after spending a long period of time with only myself. Below are my 4 tips to help you meet people abroad like a pro.

1) STAY IN HOSTEL DORMS

Apart from being a cheap accommodation alternative, staying in a hostel dorm is hands down the easiest way to meet new people. Although I understand it can sound a little intimidating to strike a conversation with complete strangers, one of the foolproof ways is to just ask them a stupid question like

“Hey, do you know the wifi password?”

From there, it’ll be natural to ask what their name is, where they’re from, how long they’ve been traveling, where their next destination is. Alternatively, most hostels organize fun activities like beer pong night and movie and pizza night.

My suggestion is to just show up anyway, even if you don’t really feel like socializing. You can just grab some free beers or pizza and crawl back in bed. One way or another, you win.

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Another excerpt on the topic of How Does It Really Feel To Travel Alone:

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One of the reasons I love the most about traveling alone is that you don’t have to get embroiled in group decisions nor you have to wait for anyone. Feel like sleeping in and not go out until 2 pm in the afternoon? Fancy spending a whole day in a geeky museum? Go ahead and do it.

Traveling by yourself gives you much more flexibility than you wouldn’t have when traveling in groups.

When traveling alone, you have no alternative than to interact more directly with your unfamiliar surroundings. You become much more approachable when you travel alone, and you’re more likely to mingle with others, too.

It’s a great life skill to be able to strike up a conversation with complete strangers, and it’s definitely easier for you to make such attempts than when you have the comfort of your travel peers to turn to.

Traveling alone allows your confidence and independence to stretch your limit. Although it can be stressful and tiring at certain times, before you know it, out of the once fearful solo traveler will grow the most confident and independent person that could overcome any challenges without fear.

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