Help - Making Friends in Andalucia

[kburnay]

Help, I moved to Monda (very near Coin and Alhaurin El Grande) in April, I am desperate to make new friends but am finding it very difficult. I work from home which doesn't help and I don't speak much Spanish - yet (I am trying to learn but finding it difficult). I am also quite shy, but I am very willing to perhaps go to social groups or classes in order to try and make friends. Can anybody help/advise?

[jojo]

Originally Posted by kburnay

Help, I moved to Monda (very near Coin and Alhaurin El Grande) in April, I am desperate to make new friends but am finding it very difficult. I work from home which doesn't help and I don't speak much Spanish - yet (I am trying to learn but finding it difficult). I am also quite shy, but I am very willing to perhaps go to social groups or classes in order to try and make friends. Can anybody help/advise?

I know how you feel, when we came here in February, I didnt know a sole apart from our letting agent, who befriended me. She then introduced me to a couple of other people, who in turn introduced me to some others and so on. now I seem to know a fair few people, some who I see occasionally and some not at all and one in particular who I've really jelled with! I guess thats what they call "social networking"

If you're shy it doesnt help, I am too. In fact if I hadnt made the friends that i have in the way that I did, I probably wouldnt leave the house apart from the school run! I have kids which helps cos standing at the school gate helps to initiate conversations (with other brits anyway!)

What about Spanish classes? I'm looking into classes in my area, you're not too far away from me so if I found out about some, you could come too?

I dont know of any clubs in the area, but I know there's a British newsagents and chip shop in El Grande that both have notice boards with stuff like that on them?

Jo

[SteveHall]

We might every Friday in Fuengirola and you are welcome to join us. 5,30 in the Plaza de la Constitución.

[kburnay]

Originally Posted by jojo

I know how you feel, when we came here in February, I didnt know a sole apart from our letting agent, who befriended me. She then introduced me to a couple of other people, who in turn introduced me to some others and so on. now I seem to know a fair few people, some who I see occasionally and some not at all and one in particular who I've really jelled with! I guess thats what they call "social networking"

If you're shy it doesnt help, I am too. In fact if I hadnt made the friends that i have in the way that I did, I probably wouldnt leave the house apart from the school run! I have kids which helps cos standing at the school gate helps to initiate conversations (with other brits anyway!)

What about Spanish classes? I'm looking into classes in my area, you're not too far away from me so if I found out about some, you could come too?

I dont know of any clubs in the area, but I know there's a British newsagents and chip shop in El Grande that both have notice boards with stuff like that on them?

Jo

Hi Jo - thanks for getting in touch, I would be very interested in coming to Spanish classes with you. I will also visit the British Newsagent and chip shop to have a look at the notice boards.

I don't have children so I don't even have that opportunity to meet people. It's very hard to get to know people, I suppose I made all my friends in the UK through work. My husband works for himself so he is out long hours which again doesn't help, I could sometimes scream the only conversations I really have during the day are with my boss so only work related. I have taken to talking to my 2 dogs - they just look at me as if I'm mad - which is how I feel quite often!!

Monda is very beautiful and I do love living here but it is very quiet and we live outside of the actual town in the countryside so I don't even see people going past the house. I do miss going out with my friends for dinner, etc. Although I am a bit shy, once I get to know people I do enjoy socialising.

Well thanks again for making contact, I feel like I've made progress at last.

Take Care
Kerry

[jojo]

Originally Posted by kburnay

Hi Jo - thanks for getting in touch, I would be very interested in coming to Spanish classes with you. I will also visit the British Newsagent and chip shop to have a look at the notice boards.

I don't have children so I don't even have that opportunity to meet people. It's very hard to get to know people, I suppose I made all my friends in the UK through work. My husband works for himself so he is out long hours which again doesn't help, I could sometimes scream the only conversations I really have during the day are with my boss so only work related. I have taken to talking to my 2 dogs - they just look at me as if I'm mad - which is how I feel quite often!!

Monda is very beautiful and I do love living here but it is very quiet and we live outside of the actual town in the countryside so I don't even see people going past the house. I do miss going out with my friends for dinner, etc. Although I am a bit shy, once I get to know people I do enjoy socialising.

Well thanks again for making contact, I feel like I've made progress at last.

Take Care
Kerry

I'll be in touch then. hang around the forum and make friends here too!

jo xx

[kburnay]

Originally Posted by SteveHall

We might every Friday in Fuengirola and you are welcome to join us. 5,30 in the Plaza de la Constitución.

Hi Steve - thanks for getting in touch with me, is it a general social club or something specific? I don't really know Fuengirola very well, I do have sat nav though so if you could give me a complete address I should be able to find it. I wouldn't be able to come this week or next as I have friends from the UK arriving this Friday evening so will be on the airport run, they are going back next Friday so should be able to make it the week after that.
Many Thanks Kerry

[kburnay]

Will do, thanks.

[rix]

aw, i talk to myself!! lolz at least you have dogs to talk to hehe

ive found it hard to make friends too, someone at worked asked me the other day so have you got any friends outside of work, and i started thinking, err...... lolz and realized I don´t actually have any apart from my flat mate who leaves in a few weeks but my situation is kinda different, but im generally a shy person when meeting new people especially all the attractive spanish women about, they kinda stare at me not knowing where im from, being British indian, im like an alien here in spain, which makes it a bit more harder for me to interact

but learn spanish i just started like yesterday and already began talking to random people on the street lolz just to practice, and i noticed in local cafes for example is a good way, when you see the same people over and over again your more likely to start talking to them, as for other expats, I dont have a clue,

good luck and stay positive!!

[kburnay]

Originally Posted by rix

aw, i talk to myself!! lolz at least you have dogs to talk to hehe

ive found it hard to make friends too, someone at worked asked me the other day so have you got any friends outside of work, and i started thinking, err...... lolz and realized I don´t actually have any apart from my flat mate who leaves in a few weeks but my situation is kinda different, but im generally a shy person when meeting new people especially all the attractive spanish women about, they kinda stare at me not knowing where im from, being British indian, im like an alien here in spain, which makes it a bit more harder for me to interact

but learn spanish i just started like yesterday and already began talking to random people on the street lolz just to practice, and i noticed in local cafes for example is a good way, when you see the same people over and over again your more likely to start talking to them, as for other expats, I dont have a clue,

good luck and stay positive!!

Thx for getting in contact, I am trying to learn Spanish but I am trying to teach myself so it's probably harder that way. Anyway I'll keep going and see how I get on.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by kburnay

Hi Steve - thanks for getting in touch with me, is it a general social club or something specific? I don't really know Fuengirola very well, I do have sat nav though so if you could give me a complete address I should be able to find it. I wouldn't be able to come this week or next as I have friends from the UK arriving this Friday evening so will be on the airport run, they are going back next Friday so should be able to make it the week after that.
Many Thanks Kerry

Kerry, if you have a change of plan and you wanna go along to this tomorrow, i could take you in my car or you could follow me - I know where it is and it would give us all a chance to meet each other????

Jo