When my work became remote due to Covid, I hatched a plan that once it was relatively safe, I would spend some months doing extended travel around Latin America. After barely leaving the house for more than a year, my wanderlust was kicking in. I wanted to shake things up and get out of my comfort zone. I love to travel and I like to dig deep into the place and the culture of my destination. So for me this long term travel was the opportunity of a lifetime. I could explore the world in a non-hurried way through extended travel. I would adopt the banner of “digital nomad”. I’d be an unrooted remote worker, exploring different locations on a regular basis.

Some Hard Truths

Having the freedom to travel around and work from anywhere sounds like a beautiful dream to many, but the truth is that there are some common downsides cited by digital nomads.

• They can often feel lonely
• Constantly traveling can be exhausting
• It can be difficult to maintain productivity

Honestly, these are all concerns that I had before embarking on the trip. For me particularly as an introvert, I was worried that I would get to my destination, wouldn’t meet people and would spend too much time in my apartment, alone. However, being several weeks deep into my Latin American travel adventure, I think I’ve done a good job of combatting my worries.

The Plan – Latin American Adventure

I’m not sure what cadence is “a regular basis” for most, but I decided beforehand that I wouldn’t stay less than two weeks in any one place. I chose Latin America because the time zone similarities would mean less interruption to my work day, and because it would be more affordable than going to Europe, for example. And I set some real goals for my Latin American Adventure (yes, I’m a nerd…I set adventure goals). They are:

• Eat amazing food!
• Vastly improve my spanish language skills; hopefully to fluent
• Meet new people; hear their stories
• Become a salsa dancing queen
• Learn about different cultures
• Eat amazing food! (can you tell that food is very important to me?)
• Evaluate/re-evaluate and compare perspectives about life

I originally wanted to start my trip in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but the country wasn’t open to travellers due to the pandemic. So I decided to begin in Mexico City. I’ve made a good start to reaching my adventure goals and have done a good job at meeting people (especially considering my introverted tendencies). Here’s how.

Hacks to Get Acclimated/Meet People on an Extended Stay Trip

Think about the things you like to do at home and find places to do that in your new location.

Early in the pandemic I started getting into yoga by following YouTube videos. So I scoped out and tried yoga classes when I arrived in Mexico City. Doing this is a good way to keep you grounded and also meet people that enjoy the same thing that you do when doing extended travel.

Bumble is not just for dating.

When I heard about Bumble BFF, which is the part of the popular dating app specifically for making friends, I quickly googled to see if Bumble was a popular app in Mexico. Within the first week of arriving to CDMX I met someone through the app, and we’ve been fast friends since. It’s nice because making a friend from the city has given me the opportunity to really practice my Spanish and get the perspective of what life is like here from a local. And bonus, I’ve extended my network by meeting some more ladies living in the city through my Bumble BFF.

AirBnB is not just for finding a place to stay.

I didn’t really pay attention to it in previous travels, but AirBnB Experiences have proven to be a great way to get acclimated and meet some cool people. In case you are unaware, the Experiences platform allows locals to share their passions and expertise in a curated way. In Mexico City, I used it as an avenue to explore things I’m interested in but didn’t necessarily feel comfortable doing as a woman, alone at night, in a foreign country/new city.

For example, I took a tour of the best cocktail bars in the city. I had a blast tasting unique drinks and made some friends. I also took a tour of salsa joints in CDMX. It may sound odd, but I even did an Experience where it was just having coffee with a local. The point was just to pick someone’s brain about the city and make a contact in an unfamiliar place. I found that all my Experiences so far have led to friendships and contacts who I could subsequently hang out with.

Go outside every day.

Even if it’s just a short walk, this will make you feel less isolated and more connected to the place. Walking is also a great way to really get to know the lay of the land. As a remote worker, do try to work outside of the place you’re staying from time to time. Coffee shops, bookstores, co-working spaces if you fancy. Working outside also helps you feel less isolated and actually provides the opportunity to meet people.

Don’t Dismiss Public Transportation

Obviously every place is different, and some places are better/safer than others. But I like to utilize public transportation because it is a great way to get acclimated to a new place. It gives you the agency to really get to know your location rather than relying only on cabs or Ubers. Plus it can be a lot easier on your pockets.

Final Thoughts

As I said before, my plan includes not staying less than two weeks in any place during my extended travel adventure. This is to combat the feelings of upheaval and travel fatigue that can come with being a digital nomad and bouncing from place to place. The hacks that I’ve outlined are particularly helpful if you intend to stay at your destination for a while. Probably longer than two weeks makes sense. These hacks will help you put down roots in a place by setting you up to make longer, less shallow relationships and to get intimately acquainted with the location. Do you have any other tips for adjusting to/meeting people in a new place? Please share!