I prefer traveling only to places where I know somebody local who can help orient me. There's a lot of friction involved with trying to figure a place out and when I can I prefer to avoid that work so that I can focus on other things.
I work hard to cultivate an international network, and I treat people who pass through my territory like royalty so that I might receive a similar treatment when I enter their domain. This strategy has worked well and I've been rewarded with some unbelievable travel experiences as a result.
Sometimes though you find yourself traveling to a place where you don't know anybody, nor do you know anybody who knows anybody there. As great of a resource as the rooshnet is, there are still many places left undocumented by forum members. So you're on your own to figure out where to stay, what to do, where to game, where to work and how to act in that place.
How then might you cut down the learning curve of figuring out a new place?
You build a network.
But how do you build a network in a city you've never been to, where you don't know anybody, and where you don't speak the local language?
A few ideas:
1. Tapping into existing online networks
Online networks like couchsurfing, badoo, ASmallWorld, etc., can often provide you with some contacts. Not always the best, but it's something.
2. Super niche facebook groups
There are hyperlocal facebook groups for everything these days. Whatever interest you have, there is probably a local group for it.
3. Language classes
Signing up for group classes at a language school can be a good way to network with other foreigners there. Often times they've got useful intel for you. I'm more interested in locals though, so let's keep going.
4. Hosting an English meetup
I like this idea because you're putting yourself in a leadership position by bringing everyone together. Advertise at the local university, with English schools, with local blogs, on couchsurfing, tell all of the cute girls you meet on badoo about it.
Of the strategies mentioned, hosting events is going to take the most amount of work to pull off, but I think it comes with the biggest reward. You can quickly build a name for yourself in a new city by doing this, and establish yourself as a leader. If you are known as a guy who hosts cool parties, people will want to invite you to their parties.
Hosting an English meetup is a pretty simple idea, but I think there might be a better way to do this.
What are some other ideas for how you might build a network in a foreign city?
Note: I titled this thread "before you arrive" with the idea that you arrange all of this online. We don't want to waste time and we want to make a bang from the get go.
I work hard to cultivate an international network, and I treat people who pass through my territory like royalty so that I might receive a similar treatment when I enter their domain. This strategy has worked well and I've been rewarded with some unbelievable travel experiences as a result.
Sometimes though you find yourself traveling to a place where you don't know anybody, nor do you know anybody who knows anybody there. As great of a resource as the rooshnet is, there are still many places left undocumented by forum members. So you're on your own to figure out where to stay, what to do, where to game, where to work and how to act in that place.
How then might you cut down the learning curve of figuring out a new place?
You build a network.
But how do you build a network in a city you've never been to, where you don't know anybody, and where you don't speak the local language?
A few ideas:
1. Tapping into existing online networks
Online networks like couchsurfing, badoo, ASmallWorld, etc., can often provide you with some contacts. Not always the best, but it's something.
2. Super niche facebook groups
There are hyperlocal facebook groups for everything these days. Whatever interest you have, there is probably a local group for it.
3. Language classes
Signing up for group classes at a language school can be a good way to network with other foreigners there. Often times they've got useful intel for you. I'm more interested in locals though, so let's keep going.
4. Hosting an English meetup
I like this idea because you're putting yourself in a leadership position by bringing everyone together. Advertise at the local university, with English schools, with local blogs, on couchsurfing, tell all of the cute girls you meet on badoo about it.
Of the strategies mentioned, hosting events is going to take the most amount of work to pull off, but I think it comes with the biggest reward. You can quickly build a name for yourself in a new city by doing this, and establish yourself as a leader. If you are known as a guy who hosts cool parties, people will want to invite you to their parties.
Hosting an English meetup is a pretty simple idea, but I think there might be a better way to do this.
What are some other ideas for how you might build a network in a foreign city?
Note: I titled this thread "before you arrive" with the idea that you arrange all of this online. We don't want to waste time and we want to make a bang from the get go.
