If you are on the lookout to make friends as a digital nomad, then you are on the right page. It can be difficult to maintain friendships when you are not committed to one place. However, you do not have to change your lifestyle to make friends. You just need to, maybe, go about it differently.

First things first,

Who Is A Digital Nomad?

Digital nomads are telecommunications technologies professionals who conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Basically, using tech stuff to earn money, working remotely, and so you do not have to commit to one location. They use the power of innovations to be as mobile as they want to be. This means that their desire to see the world is not threatened by any limitations. Geniuses, right?

However, the one downside that comes with having to work remotely is that you rarely get a familiar face. As you move around, there is no crowd to be a part of. To sum it up, it could be difficult to make friends as a digital nomad.

Being a digital nomad takes away camaraderie, something we often do not realize how much it could be a blessing.

Nonetheless, digital nomads do get the best of both worlds. So, the fear of having a great circle of friends should not be the thing that stops you from becoming one, if you dream of it.

Also Read: 5 Tips To Start A Perfect Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Here is a list of things that could potentially help you increase your network. How about you try them out and see how it works?

Tips To Make Friends as a Digital Nomad

Making friends as a digital nomad might not be as bad as you think it might be. Although it means working remotely, it definitely means having an internet connection. Also, working remotely could actually work in your favour, socially.

However, you need to keep in mind that you really do need to put yourself out there. This means that you might have to put in more effort than a regular 9-5 because you don’t NEED to make friends. You choose to and that is great! You would have to be on the lookout for people you find interesting. Learn how to make the first step. This could mean maybe saying ‘hello’ and introducing yourself without expecting them to do it first. It is useful to learn to have your guards down, I mean what could be the worst that could happen right?

Make friends as a digital nomad IRL

Sure, your life might be online. But it does not suck to do your online things in a social space. There are plenty of social spaces that offer a good internet connection which could work in your favour here. Many professionals who work online opt for these spaces instead of their homes. Working out of your home space could even help you create a sense of excitement and variety. There really are a lot of benefits by working out of your comfort zone. As we all know, life often does begin out of the comfortable zone of monotony.

few ideas to make friends as a digital nomad outdoors

Coffee shops

First and foremost, of course. Coffee shops are the best way to get your work done and make friends as a digital nomad. The other customers at the café are also going to be professionals who do their work online and so this seems to work out for everyone. It would also make it easy for you to grab a quick bite if you need it. It literally is the best option for digital nomads.

You could try talking to them about their work or the food they have ordered. You could ask them about how often they come to the café. Or, the best of all, even ask for other cafes that you could work from.

Do consider that this might mean spending money on food, so being wise with your working hours in the café could help finances.

Co-working space

Co-working spaces are designed so that different people could work independently on their projects under the same roof. It is another great space to make friends as a digital nomad.

Co-working spaces offer the same services you would find in a traditional office, except people are not working for the same company. You have access to WiFi, printers, snacks, snooker tables. Of course, the amenities might differ according to the space that you want to work in. There also might be different types of passes that you can take up and so the price varies.

Also, in case you do work with a bunch of people in the same location, you could rent out office spaces. This would mean that you are creating your own office of people. How fun is that?

Libraries

Libraries might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but they are still a great space to use. You can have access to their wifi and have the peace and quiet you need. You would be among the smell of books. Plus, if you love books and are an avid reader, your breaks could involve reading. Libraries are a great place to meet fellow readers too.

Unfortunately, however, there are downsides to working in a library. The most obvious one being you cannot have calls. The ‘shhh’ rule means you would have to work quietly. To work around this, you could pick a library to work on days you have no calls or meetings.

Parks

Working in a park might be an unpopular opinion, but it could work! You could get the charged up device and spend some time among the trees. Surely, this might not work for long hours. However, spending an hour or two in nature with a quiet surroundings could be the change you need.

Fortunately, with parks, you might not need to start the conversation, somebody else might. It is not every day that somebody decides to work in the park, so that could be a conversation starter itself.

This might not be the ideal way to make friends as a digital nomad, but who knows? It definitely sounds like an idea worth trying.

Meetups

How about getting all your friends to work together? If you do have colleagues working from the same location, it would be a great idea to get to know them better. This might not necessarily mean going out, as you can pay a visit to their home working space or them to yours. Nonetheless, you do end up forming deeper connections. You could even exchange ideas with the kind of work you do.

These meetups could often lead to more than just work stuff. It could mean catching up for lunch, going out for drinks etc.

Regardless of how you want to make friends as a digital nomad, the best and only tip is to really just put in the extra effort. You can be creative as to how you meet people and could even meet people from different backgrounds.

Using what digital nomads know best

The internet

How can I make friends as a digital nomad if I’m an Introvert? The internet.

Are digital nomads lonely? No, thanks to…the internet.

The internet is literally the best way to make friends, especially as a digital nomad.

There are plenty of apps and websites designed to just meet people. That is it. It really is as simple as that. Of course, again, you do have to put yourself out there but with the internet, it does not have to be so nerve-wracking! All you have to do is send a text. Worst comes worst, then don’t send you a text back. You are not going to feel terrible about it because there is already somebody texting you!

Searching for the right places to talk and meet people can be difficult. That is why we have created a bunch of places on the internet you could try out.

few places to make friends as a digital nomad online

Social media

Social media is a wonderful platform to make friends online. With Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter accounts, you can really reach out and connect with more people than you could be going out.

There are plenty of Facebook groups and pages with various causes that you can be a part of. Commenting on peoples’ Instagram posts is a great way to make yourself seen.

Not only does this help in getting to know the person, but it also allows other people following that person to notice you.

With LinkedIn, it is easier to connect with professionals working in the same field as you. You can connect with them literally with just a click.

Keeping your audiences on social media platforms is a great place to start.

Forums

Forums can be a great way to make friends as a digital nomad. You can voice your opinion, answer questions and engage yourself in conversations without it even being directed towards you. This is where it gets a little tricky, you cannot be shy. Even though nobody asked for your opinion, the internet did.

Websites like Quora, Reddit, stack overflow are places on the internet where people have engaging conversations. Quora asks for your opinion and wants your answers. You can have random conversations about random things on Reddit. Stack overflow is a platform for students and professionals who are interested in programming.

You can find a forum website that suits you. However, do remember that it still is the internet and you do have to be careful with what you say where. Needless to say, it is important to be respectful even if you do not know the person you are communicating with.

Dating apps

Dating apps don’t really have to be about dating. It could be if that is what you want. But apps like Bumble make it easier to keep things platonic.

Another worst-case scenario here, you go on a date; you don’t like it; be their friend! You are really not going to lose much here.

There are so many people waiting to connect with somebody on a dating app near you.

Also, as a bonus, if you are visiting another city, going on dates with somebody to see the city would be just the perfect thing to do. Think about it!

Other ways

Here are some other ways you could meet people. These might not work day today. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a total change of atmosphere and you want a breath of fresh air, then go for it.

Here are some other ways you can make friends in new places

Trips

Taking short trips to different places could improve your chances of making friends as a digital nomad. There are so many processes involved in going on a trip you are definitely bound to see new faces. For example, accommodation. If you choose to take up a sociable accommodation option, like hostels then people will be talking to you. Choosing the dorm rooms would mean sharing space, which puts you in a situation to interact.

Creating situations where you have to interact is the best way to make friends as an introvert. Going on trips is one such situation.

Staycations

Staycations are one of the greatest pros of being a digital nomad. Many options of accommodation like hostels, cottages, farm stays, retreats offer options of staycations. This means you can stay for a longer duration and everything else is taken care of for you.

Staycations are an interesting way to meet new people. There might be other digital nomads doing the same too. You are able to experience working in a different location too.

Courses

Another great way to make friends is by opting for courses or joining classes. This is another controlled environment that would compel you to socialize. It would also keep you engaged. Your focus is also shifted from just working.