In this episode of the Language and Travel Hacking Podcast, I share how I find meetups and make meaningful friendships while traveling solo. Back when I started my nomadic journey over 22 years ago, it was surprisingly easy—I relied on just a few websites like Couchsurfing and Meetup, and that was enough to connect with interesting people wherever I went. Nowadays, things are more complicated. Oversaturation and generic events make it harder to find truly like-minded people. I still go to general meetups, but I focus on connecting with a few individuals and asking them about local resources—like WhatsApp groups, niche websites, or interest-based communities that aren’t easily found online.

My current strategy involves using meetups as a gateway to discover more private or targeted groups. For example, in Bali I found a great language exchange through a platform called Nomio—something I wouldn’t have discovered without asking around. I also lean on tools like AI for deeper research when Google and Facebook Events don’t cut it. Recently in Denver, AI helped me find an ASL meetup I’d never have found otherwise. There’s no one-size-fits-all tool anymore, but if you show up, ask questions, and stay open, you’ll uncover great communities and build genuine friendships wherever you are.

If you need one-on-one language guidance, schedule a consultation session with Benny at languagehacking.com/chat.

And don’t forget to check out the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp here!

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