The great thing about traveling is that we can end up making friends for life when we are going around the world, diving in and out of hostels or short-term accommodations. But when we are making these friendships, it's important to remember that these people are always strangers at the very outset. When it comes to traveling, especially by yourself, you've got to make sure that you are doing it safely. What are the things that we can all benefit from when it comes to making friends while traveling?
Be Careful Who You Share Private Details With
When we're on our own, we can feel like we want to just give over so much of our deep dark secrets, especially if something feels right. But you've got to wait until you get that clear signal that they are not trying to take advantage of you. When it comes to private information, particularly on our phones, we can easily overshare, especially on social media. Sometimes it pays to know how to delete your Google search history especially if you are sharing devices with people. It’s also important to be very strict with the information you share, which means that you should know how to delete history on your phone, especially if you've got to the point where you might end up sharing too much information.
Have a Point of Contact at the Hostel
When we are traveling all over the place and then we go back to a hostel where there are plenty of other strangers, it's important to remember that the accommodation you pick should be one that makes you feel safe and secure. Lots of hostels provide information for travelers so they can feel safer in themselves. Have a point of contact at the accommodation and make sure you have their telephone number should something go wrong. You could easily find yourself falling head over heels for someone when you are out and about with someone in this incredibly romantic setting, but it pays to be cautious until you've truly got to know them. If that person has been in the hostel for a lot longer than you, you can get some insight from the members of staff at the accommodation to see if this person is truly a trustworthy one.
Prepare to Make Friends Before You Leave
The fact is that when you are venturing around Europe and other amazing locations, it is a great idea to see if there are other people who are in the same mindset as you. You can always join online travel groups so if you are concerned that if you are venturing across the world by yourself you could benefit from getting that little bit extra confidence by having more people around that you could meet up with.
Making friends while you are traveling is not an easy thing, but you've got to get the balance right. There's many people who like to open themselves up to every single experience but of course, when we are traveling, we've got to make sure that we are doing it sensibly.
*Post contributed by Lucy Mellon, a peer travel writer who loves craft brews.*
