When you are little and enter preschool making friends comes naturally for most. It's programmed in our bodies to be sociable and make companions. If we lack that skill an adult usually helps the process by introducing you or arranging activities in the class or after school to make this happen.
Do you really remember having to make friends when you were younger?
Through those friends we met others and made new friends with the comfort of having others.
Students who switch schools and move have felt the uncomfortable moments of having to consciously meet others. It can feel awkward and unnatural at first. You have to think of what to say and how to approach someone.
I can remember graduating high school and getting ready for college. Erica, one of my life long best friends said to me, "what if I don't remember how to make friends? This isn't like preschool again. We have to actually go to a new school and find friends and what if no one wants to be our friend." It's funny that her comment stuck with me this long. But it's so true!
Traveling brings those awkward moments when you doubt your capable I to interact with new people and make friends. This moment overwhelmed me as I entered the hostel in Mancora.
LoKi is a gorgeous hostel located in Mancora, Peru. It has a huge bar, hammocks, cabanas, a pool, and more. As I dropped my bags in my room I was torn on what to do. Do I sit there in a hammock and relax or search for new friends? Find new friends! It's funny because I do this every year but the beginning of new trips makes me a bit nervous.
Within minutes of ordering breakfast at the bar I met my first true travel friend, Kirsty. She is a short little girl from Ireland who is also traveling alone. I was quickly reminded at all travelers who go alone are in the same situation. We all want to make friends, new connections, new experiences, and have a good time.
Fast forward five days and I had met some of the greatest people. I'm not going to go into all of details of my time at Mancora. The days were filled with the group hanging out, eating, sitting in the beach, and dancing. I met some amazing people there. Not only did I find this new group of people but I also befriended a few other groups as well. Ethan called me a social butterfly and laughed that I was ever nervous to meet people hahahaah.
One day we went to swim with the sea turtles. Hysterical. Trying to get a tuk tuk to take us started a civil war between the tuk tuk. As everyone bartered the prices the two groups of drivers began arguing and fighting over the prices. After about ten minutes of this I turned around and saw one quiet driver. I jumped in his and Kirsty and Doron followed! The rest of the group stood arguing longer.
We got to the water to see the turtles. These things are massive and super scary. The water was murky and we didn't have goggles so we couldn't really see them. My friend andrew had to hold me up in the water I was so nervous. Right before we left there was a girl who was scared. When andrew pushed her in the water she landed on a turtle and got bitten. What? The awkward part was that she was staying at our hostel, didn't speak English, and andrew is an employee.
While at Loki the Copa America final was on and it was the Fourth of July. Everyone, no matter where they were from, decked themselves in red, white, and blue! They even had a BBQ!
I was having the time of my life. I had made friends with a group of four other girls and the bar staff. But I knew I had to move on and actually see some things. It was tough to say my goodbyes. As I gave Billy one last huge I quickly ran out of the hostel, jumped in the tuk tuk, and grabbed the night bus to Ecuador!
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