Living beyond the highlights
In May, my life took an exhilarating turn. I moved to Bangkok for three months to work for a sustainable clothing company (shoutout moreloop!).
Did I know a soul in Thailand? Had I lived abroad before? No, and no. But what I did have was an aptitude for adventure, a drive to learn from Thailand’s unique culture, and a goal to get to know the city beyond the surface.
So consider this my guide for how to settle into an unfamiliar city if you want to make friends, understand a new community, and feel a sense of home.
I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to live in Thailand thanks to the Cansbridge Fellowship and the Faculty of Arts & Science at Queen’s (learn more about how you can get involved!). I’ll be sharing more learnings from my journey, so I welcome you to follow along and connect.
1: Know what you want out of the experience
I’m grateful I reflected on my goals for Thailand, which guided my actions upon arrival. Finding community and meaningful friendships were top priorities for me to understand Bangkok as a resident. Through a longer stay, I explored beyond the highlights and learned nuanced history from new friends.
From there, it was important to recognize my role as a foreigner in Thailand. When moving to a new country, be mindful of the unique positionality you bring, like coming from an English-speaking country, that may influence your interactions with locals.
2: How the heck do I meet people?
Day 1 in Bangkok brought my first challenge: how could I start connecting with people in the city?
After a quick panic realizing that I knew not a single person in Bangkok, I sought out events to give me a wide surface area to find people I clicked with.
My number one tip to meet people in a new city is to download the Meetup App. I had never heard of Meetup being used in Canada, but discovering the app changed the course of my experience living in Thailand. Within my first 24 hours, I went to a picnic and met friends who became recurring characters in my life.
The first Meetup led to several others, like a coconut broom-making volunteer session that I would never have expected to do. I’ve had the privilege of meeting people from all walks of life and learning from their stories.
For those in countries where Meetup is not as widespread, Facebook groups are a great alternative to expose yourself to serendipity. I recommend searching for things like “young newcomers to Bangkok,” “hiking in Bangkok,” “language learning Thailand,” or “volunteering in Bangkok” to start finding activities of interest. By joining a variety of Facebook groups, you increase your probability of coming across that dance class you’ve always wanted to try or a last-minute opening for a new art gallery.
Be open, be brave, and put yourself in the best position possible to create story moments that will last a lifetime.
3: Be consistent
Beyond simply showing up to one-off events, I highly recommend joining communities and participating in local life in a consistent way.
An easy starting place is to join group chats and regular meetings of groups. Most major cities will be brimming with communities of learners and adventurers who want to explore activities with new friends. Find a group that fits your passions (like hiking for me!), or take this as an opportunity to start something brand new.
Personally, I committed to taking Muay Thai lessons multiple times per week. As a complete newbie, I strapped up eagerly for my first lesson … and almost wanted to quit 20 minutes in thanks to the learning curve. But inspired by my classmates, I embraced my discomfort and felt the high of landing a good kick and working up a sweat. A few weeks in, I look forward to seeing familiar faces at lessons and learning alongside a community.
Not only am I gaining the physical skills of Muay Thai, but my regular occurrences at the gym make me feel more settled in and give me exposure to daily life in Bangkok. Although I am not here permanently, I am no longer just a traveler passing by, but someone with commitments in the city.
4: Don’t be afraid to go solo
New cities are intimidating, especially when living alone with no pre-existing social support network. The task of showing up by yourself may require immense courage, but I encourage you to give it a try to the best of your ability. I have heard the most fascinating stories because I challenged myself to talk to someone new. Who knows who you’ll meet along the way and the stories you will soon have to tell.
Some parting thoughts
If I could leave you with some final thoughts, I would like to share a mantra imparted to me from Callum, a senior Cansbridge fellow: say yes to everything.
You never know what could happen, whether it be good or bad or the wildest experience you have ever had. But by putting ourselves in the mindset and the position to experience new things, we are opening ourselves up to the possibility of growth and enrichment as humans.
Now it’s your turn to buckle up and leap into your next adventure. I look forward to hearing the stories you have to tell.
This article was written as part of the Cansbridge Fellowship.
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