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Making Friends Abroad When You're an Introvert

Started by EmmaManchester · 28 mai 2025 · 12 replies · 📖 Read as Guide
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EmmaManchester
Self-described introvert, year abroad in Madrid and Lisbon
Joined: Jul 2018 Posts: 116
28 mai 2025 #1
I am a textbook introvert and I spent a year abroad in two different countries. The first month was brutal because every social event felt designed for extroverts. By month three I had close friends in both cities using strategies that did not require me to become a different person. Sharing what worked and what absolutely did not.

Pour aller plus loin, découvrez destinations dog-friendly en France.

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BackpackerJake
Ambivert, semester in Thailand
Joined: Jul 2019Posts: 22
June 01, 2025#2
The bouldering gym recommendation is genuinely perfect. I started climbing alone in Chiang Mai and within three weeks had a regular group of four people I climbed with three times a week. Never once had to do an icebreaker game.
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OliviaOxford
Introvert, year abroad at Sciences Po Paris
Joined: Jun 2024Posts: 161
June 05, 2025#3
The one-on-one coffee strategy is how I built every meaningful friendship in Paris. Group dinners left me exhausted and unable to remember anyone's name. Individual coffee dates gave me three friends I still talk to daily two years later.
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MikeFromMichigan
Introvert who forced himself to be extroverted for a month
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 33
June 09, 2025#4
I tried the 'just put yourself out there' approach for my first month in Prague. Went to every event, every pub crawl, every group dinner. By week four I was so burnt out I did not leave my room for three days. This article describes the approach I wish I had taken from the start.
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CamilleDuval
French introvert, Erasmus in Copenhagen
Joined: Jan 2019Posts: 128
June 13, 2025#5
The flatmate point is crucial. My best friend from my year in Copenhagen was my flatmate. We barely spoke the first week but by week three we were cooking dinner together every night. Proximity plus time equals friendship for introverts.
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SarahStudiesAbroad
Advisor, sees introvert students struggle every semester
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 169
June 17, 2025#6
Adding this to my pre-departure reading list for students who self-identify as introverts. The W-curve of friendship timeline is something I have observed hundreds of times but never seen articulated this clearly.
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LiamLondon
Introvert, did year abroad in Barcelona
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 21
June 21, 2025#7
Parkrun was my social lifeline in Barcelona. Every Saturday morning, same route, same faces. By week six I was having coffee with three regulars after every run. Zero forced socializing. Just showing up consistently.
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NatalieVancouver
Canadian introvert, exchange in Edinburgh
Joined: Apr 2022Posts: 111
June 25, 2025#8
The digital communities section resonated. I found my Edinburgh friend group through a Reddit thread asking if anyone wanted to visit the Scottish Highlands. Four introverts who would never have found each other at a mixer ended up taking a road trip together.
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WanderlustEmma
Introvert-extrovert friendship perspective
Joined: Feb 2020Posts: 157
June 29, 2025#9
The point about having one extroverted friend is so true. My roommate in Seoul was the most extroverted person I have ever met. She dragged me to exactly the right number of events -- enough to meet people, not so many that I burned out.
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AidanDublin
Irish introvert in London, language exchange regular
Joined: Oct 2022Posts: 201
July 03, 2025#10
Language exchange meetups are perfect for introverts because the structure gives you permission to leave. You practice for 30 minutes, switch partners, and when you are done you can leave without it being weird. Made two close friends this way.
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RyanToronto
Canadian, studied in Berlin, classic introvert
Joined: May 2023Posts: 160
July 07, 2025#11
The solo activity section is the best advice here. I spent my Sundays exploring Berlin neighborhoods alone with a camera. People at cafes and in parks struck up conversations because I looked approachable rather than desperately social. Three of my Berlin friends started as strangers who sat down next to me.
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JessicaBoston
Advisor, introvert herself
Joined: Feb 2020Posts: 73
July 11, 2025#12
As an introvert who became a study abroad advisor, I can confirm that the students who struggle most are introverts trying to be extroverts. The ones who accept their wiring and use these strategies consistently have the best experiences. Sharing this widely.
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EmmaManchester
Original poster, follow-up
Joined: Jul 2019Posts: 78
July 15, 2025#13
Glad this resonates. One thing I want to add: it is okay to have a quiet Saturday night in your room reading a book while your friends are at a club. Protecting your energy is not antisocial. It is what allows you to be genuinely present when you do show up.
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