When I arrived in Interlakken, I was suffering from a serious case of homesickness so I was thrilled when a girl stood in the middle of our dorm and announced,
"Does anyone want to go hike up a mountain on Friday?"
Everyone else kind of just looked at each other and basically ignored her but I was game, not only for a hike in a few days but also for everything else: "grocery" shopping (code for buying wine, chocolate, and cheese), half priced drinks at the underground beach party, cooking dinner together in the kitchen, meeting other Americans, giant chess, lounging in the not-so-secret hammock room…
Because Suzy knew the secrets to making friends on the move:
1. Just ask people to do something, but be specific. If you are interested in doing something, chances are good that another person nearby is also interested. As luck would have it, Suzy found both Michael and I were interested in a hike to hidden waterfalls and the top of a mountain. If she hadn't simply asked, she would have wound up going alone. Needlessly. What's the worst that could happen? No one wants to go. Is that really that bad? If it's embarrassing the first time or two, just remember, if no one wants to hang out with you, you'll never see them again. No harm, no foul.
2. Food. The next thing Suzy did was ask if I wanted to go grocery shopping. If you have been in the city for more than a day, you will have information the newbies want, in this case it was where to get cheap wine and amazing swiss chocolate in the same place.
3. Alcohol. Don't turn it down except for safety reasons. It is, of course, the social lubricant. Whether it gets you trading crazy stories or bonding over your mutually horrible dance moves, it will help you make quick friends. Note I did have an exception when it comes to safety. Don't take drinks that are handed to you open. Don't drink until you are sick. Don't drink if you don't feel safe.
4. Food. Again. This time it involves sharing more than information. As a Francophile, Suzy had a cheese and wine pairing she shared after dinner, which attracted even more people to our table to hang out with us. Sharing food is always appreciated, whether it's a traditional meal from back home or just a big pot of spaghetti.
5. Tours. Suzy recommended the Sandeman's New Europe free tours before I left Switzerland and I found that not only were they generally excellent tours, they were also a great place to meet new people because there were always a few people who wanted to go out to eat afterward. They also present an opportunity in that it's very easy to ask people you just met if they would like to go on a free tour with you the next day.
Suzy taught me these ways to meet people and make friends without ever telling me any of it flat out. She was an experienced backpacker about to head home to the States, and I was glad to have been taken under her wing. By the time I reached Edinburgh I was mirroring her by throwing caution to the wind and asking people to hang out with me.
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