In this episode we talk about building community and finding likeminded people in a new country with our guest Ngan (the founder of Nomad Girls Club in Lisbon). We’re going to hear her story about why she moved to Lisbon, how she built new friendships and what inspired her to start her own (girls only!) community. She talks about the process of starting her community, the challenges, the lessons she learned and all the ups and downs that come with starting anything new.
Also we talk about the importance of small talk to find likeminded people and picking events that are the perfect fit for you. Last but not least Ngan has some advice for people who moved alone to a new place, who are scared to go alone to events and meet new people.
Enjoy listening and don’t forget to rate the podcast and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform, like Spotify – it will help more hearts find our little corner of the world.
With love, April Betts & Anna Jirina.
About From Lisbon With Love
Welcome to From Lisbon With Love! A podcast about real stories of love, laughter, and life in Lisbon — from women who have left it all behind. We share real stories about moving to Lisbon, starting over and figuring life out along the way. We talk love, dating, friendships, breakups, healing, growing, all of it. Basically, the stuff we usually talk about over coffee ☕️ or vinho 🍷. If you’re thinking about moving to Lisbon, already here or just love honest conversations with heart: you’re in the right place! Learn more about our story here.
Building community abroad
Building community in a new country is essential for a sense of belonging and to feel supported and safe. Especially when you’re moving abroad alone, you need community to overcome loneliness, to help navigate challenges and build resilience. But also when you move abroad for love and you have a partner, it’s super important to build a support network outside of your relationship.
Being part of a community that you can fall back on improves your mental health and offers emotional support and practical help during hard times. Building community fosters a sense of connection, purpose and identity through shared values, interests and experiences.
How to find likeminded people in a new country
When you move to a new country, it can be challenging (and maybe even a bit scary) to find likeminded people, especially when you’re moving abroad alone as an introvert. Everything is new, maybe you don’t know where to start and you’re feeling overwhelmed. That’s completely normal, because adjusting to a new place takes time and energy and it requires patience. In the beginning, you might feel lonely and a bit misplaced, but that’s something that will go away by time and you can overcome.
A great way to meet likeminded people is through (free or paid) events, organized by clubs and communities. Not only is this super safe, because every event has a host, but by doing this you can meet people that have the same hobbies and interests as you. This can be a great start of a solid friendship where you have a lot in common!
Nomad Girls Club in Lisbon
If you’re looking to meet new people in Lisbon, you’re definitely in the right place here. Lisbon really has a lot of clubs and communities that organize cool events weekly! One of them is Nomad Girls Club, a girls only club that helps women who are new in Lisbon make new connections and friendships. In this episode we talk with the founder of Nomad Girls Club, Ngan, about the importance of building community and finding ‘your’ people in a new place.
Fun fact: We also met through an event of Nomad Girls Club. It was a typical example of right time, right place ;-)). We sat in front of each other at a small girls dinner at a Georgian restaurant and we immediately clicked! If you’re curious, we made a whole episode about how we met, finding likeminded people and our struggles with making friends abroad.
