One of the things that solo travellers and expats struggle with is finding a community away from home. You’re in a new place, you want to explore the city, and you also want to get settled in as quickly as possible... But where do you start?
You may also wonder whether using online friendship or dating apps can help you find genuine relationships, considering the stigma that surrounds these kinds of apps or platforms. And what even is the definition of a genuine relationship? When can you say that you have truly formed a meaningful relationship with someone?
In this episode, Heeral Pattni shares to us how we can find meaningful friendships online, why it's important to choose your online friends, and the most importantly, how to survive and thrive in a new place with barely any connections.
Heeral Pattni is a 22-year-old graduate of Politics and International Studies based in London. She is the Founder of Amica, an app which aims to provide women with the opportunity to meet like-minded solo travelers, based entirely on mutual interests.
“For me, community is kind of a safe and supportive place that caters to a lot of different [facets] of my personality.” (Heeral)
“But you also have to find a way to keep living. And I think keeping friends around you that make you feel alive is really important.” (Heeral)
“I think the more that you are aware of how little time you have, the more you're aware of what drains your energy and what gives you energy. And I think that makes it a lot easier to realize who you want to spend your time with.” (Heeral)
I remember this quote [that says], “If you can't enjoy your own company, why inflict it on others?”” (Heeral)
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Find episode transcript here --> https://www.navigatingculture.co/the-homesickness-cure-podcast-how-to-intentionally-choose-your-friends-with-amica-app
