草榴社区

草榴社区 wrote:

We have been talking about loneliness when you are abroad, let's now talk about how to make friends (locals and other expats) when you're living in Uruguay

Which are your best tips to meet people and to make friends in Uruguay??

Thanks in advance for your participation

Hola,

Its very hard to make friends in Uruguay. I've been in Montevideo for 3 years and have met many people; expats and locals. There are a few expat groups that one could join. Some are for a fee and some are 'free'.

These groups cater to the more mature group; 50's and up. Its really not meant for young expats.

Smoking and drinking are big social things to do for young people,. But I'm just not into whiskey so I can't really relate.

So for the most part I have local friends. We talk when I see them. When I have a party I invite locals and a bit of expats. My other half gets invites for golfing and futbol games all the time. The women that are close to my age have kids, so I can't really relate so much.

I have a friend that is married to a local, but she is Cuban. So we get along really well. She's my trainer, so we talk all the time at the gym.

That's about it.

Ciao,
O

I guess it depends where you are in Uruguay.

Montevideo is really hard to break in if you intend to have local friends. Montevideans are just not interested, and those who are probably have lived overseas. The reason for the lack of interest is that although it is a sizeable city, the social customs are very provincial, with most people socializing with the same friends they made in elementary school or high-school, plus a couple added during the university years.

In the interior, from expats living in Colonia, for example, I have heard it麓s much easier and people tend to be absorbed more readily into the local social life.

On the other hand, in Punta del Este it麓s much easier to become assimilated and to have a choice of locals and foreigners to socialize with. Everyone in Punta del Este is from somewhere else, including most Uruguayans (who are a minority anyway), so the system is in place for fast integration of newcomers, wherever they may be from. BBQs and dinner parties galore, plus expat meetings and all kinds of activities, from free percussion lessons at the Centro Cultural, to golf or tennis at private clubs, help newcomers establish connections pretty fast.

You really are the ambassador for Punta del Este!!

There are plenty of expats in Montevideo from all over the world, and they meet every Sunday for lunch in Pocitos. If you want to get involved just check out this website for details. Its open to all and it happens every Sunday without fail...

meetings.totaluruguay.com/montevideo/expats.html

I have to agree that Montevideo wasnt the easiest place聽 to make new friends. A majority聽 of my new friends from Uruguay were made in cities such as Punta del Este聽 and La Barra. Frequenting several restaurants聽 and visiting shops and bakeries made me聽 some聽 local store owners as friends. They were聽 very welcoming and聽 had lots of questions about Canada. As well, they made suggestions of places I could go to meet locals and introduced me to several people that remain friends with me to this day.

soy Uruguaya, pero vivo en chile hace 17 a帽os, ejerzo la profesion de M茅dico aqu铆, me gustar铆a saber que posibilidades existen de migrar a Australia y trabajar all谩,y ver opciones de que mi hija estudie una carrera universitaria, gracias y hasta pronto.
Elena Basoa

Hi Elena, could you please post in English in this Anglophone forum?

Thanks,
Harmonie.

No es facil hacerse amigos en Uruguay pero tampoco es imposible. Para los francofonos existe una asociacion muy eficiente e simpatica: Montevideo accueil. Me parece normal expresarse en espa帽ol en este foro  hablando de Uruguay. Los que pensan vivir en Uruguay hablando solamente ingles, si que limitaran mucho la posibilidad de hacerse amigos alla si no intentan aprender el idioma nacional.

Harmonie wrote:

Hi聽 could you please post in English in this Anglophone forum?

Thanks,
Harmonie.

Hello anyone there

Hello buddy. I live in Greece very alone here. I also want to make acquaintances in Uruguay..but I do not know how. if you want we can talk and help each other.

Hey there! What a great suggestion! Sounds like fun! Will certainly do that on my upcoming trip to Uruguay! Thanks for the suggestion! 馃懇鈥嶁殩锔忊湀锔忦煈岾athryn

I speak passable Spanish. I am going to visit Uruguay for the first time in January. My intent is to be with as many nationals in my travels. I have decided to also employ a guide to be sure that I get to see the best local scene

It鈥檚 very hard to immigrate to Australia. I know this from some family difficulties. But because you are a doctor, and of course the type of doctor you are, would make it possibly easier to be of real use in their community.
Go to their website and check on the current people they are looking to hire or immigrate to Australia.

Hi blmahlmeister, hope you'll have a good experience here in Uruguay. When are you coming?

I鈥檒l be arriving聽 the 12 of January in the AM聽 looking for a local to take me to the real Montevideo. Be my companion some evenings so I won鈥檛 be on my own at night. If you know someone knowledgeable and would act as my squire! LOL. I鈥檓 grandma age BTW. Thanks

Yeah am arriving in April 2022 yes I would love to have you as my friend, you go before and update me on you experience there, did聽 you mention age how old are you?

I鈥檇 be glad to share! You鈥檙e going to be there at carnival? I鈥檓 going at the extreme seasons to find out if I would want to live there for good.

The language here Rioplatense a dialect of Latin American Spanish.

@lam4010 Hello, i鈥檓 heading to Uruguay March 5, I鈥檓 hoping to meet some expats when I get there. Are you visiting Uruguay? If so, when might that be? It would be fun to have somebody to connect with there. I am going to.Pocitos. what about you?

@ExploreUruguay

How is it now ? You has been there for a few years.

is is easy for yoj ger people to聽 ive and get a job there.

Thinking of retiring there in a few years and wondering if it is easy for young oeople in early 20鈥檚 to also move and get a job? just curious聽 as my daughter will be in her early to mid 20鈥檚 with a degree in biochemistry from the US.

perhaps she can do a masters there if in english?

is there a lit if racism or crime there?

@wbraithwaite

Hello and welcome !

I would suggest that you open a new thread on the Uruguay forum to seek advice from active members..

This thread is quite old and the member you are replying to has not visited the website for the past 13 years.

All the best

Bhavna

@Bhavna Thanks