How I Made New Friends Abroad

Who are the People in Your Neighbourhood?

The first neighbor we met was Moises. He looked to me like a gangster at first glance, and I believe he wants the people around here to think so as well. He usually wears pointed-toe cowboy boots and a black leather jacket with some sparkly studs in a few places. There has been a fashion going for some time where people show their prosperity by having gold caps put on their front teeth. I mistakenly thought they had had dental repairs and had elected the gold caps; I couldn’t figure out...

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My Friend Deet, 81 years old still rides her bicycle

 

 

 

 

The streets of Antigua are all stones.  Some say cobblestones, but these are not well cobbled.  The city is a World Heritage Site, so it must maintain the old style and flavor of most things here, so they don’t repair the stones with cement to really hold them together.  They use a mixture of gravel and a substance called “cal.”  It is lime, the main ingredient in cement for concrete, but it’s...

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Making new friends in Mexico is EASY!

Making new friends in Mexico is EASY!

 

It seems that everything I do gives me opportunities for new friendships. Even on my first trip to Mexico, as a high school student, I made friends. I would ask questions and the conversations would start. At that time, my Spanish was almost non-existent but it did not matter. Mexico has a tradition of hospitality and the majority of the people that you meet will welcome you. It is even better if you try a few words in Spanish....

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Out with the Old and In with New as 2016 Approaches IN Belize

After years of visiting Belize, since 2006, we decided to leave the family, friends and acquaintances behind and start a whole new life in a new country. As per my family a Third world country at that. Needless to say we started making friends almost immediately. Belizeans are so friendly and open their homes to you with no restraints, even without knowing you at all. Expats also were so heartwarming and friendly, eager to meet the new kids on the block. We found there are local hangouts...

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Israel Meets Lebanon

Flag Pins for Israel and Lebanon – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Living"Come sit next to me", said Sheyla. I followed her, wondering if it would calm my anxiety. Immediately I knew that we were going to be good friends. Our families were in countries far away, and this tropical land, its language and people was all we had. I was 12, did not speak any Spanish, but I knew this experience would change me forever.

Before arriving to Venezuela, I had studied in Jewish schools, and for the first time I was surrounded by students from all over the world. I...

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Working with INTUR (Nicaragua Ministry of Tourism) at AARP

I was pleasantly surprised and honored to Kent Payne and Catalina Gordon of Nicaragua Instituto Nicaraguense de Turismo INTUR – Best Places In The World To Retire – International Livingbe asked to attend the AARP conference in Boston, MA just this past week, May 7th.
 
We had the pleasure to attend the conference and join thousands of attendees as they took a look at new opportunities of how to live life past 50 years.
 
Pictured are me (the old one) and Catalina Gordon who lives in Managua and works the government's Instituto Nicaraguense de Turismo INTUR.  We handed out lots of advertising (called...

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BLUE SKY IN PANAMA

I came to Boquete, Panama 4 years ago. Knowing no Spanish and having no friends or relatives here, I then decided to start a confidential Ladies welcome and support group called Blue Sky, so the new Ladies in this town will not go the same way as I did......depression......I made a lot of friends and we as a group help a lot of ladies getting started in Boquete, and meeting friends.....we are now a large group and we welcome and help any Ladies who would like to join...

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Easy Love'n the People of Panama

Downtown Panama City, Panama – Best Places In The World To Retire – International LivingOur first day in Panama City we walked and enjoyed meeting people. From the staff at the Hilton Garden Inn to people in cafes and stores, we were pleasantly treated and had no problems.
 
We arrived in December 9, 2012 and we rented a car on December 11th to drive to our planned destination, Boquete in Chiriqui Provence.
 
This picture is the Concierge giving Arne instructions on how to get out of the city.
 

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