How to make friends in Uruguay

expat.com Your favourite team

8393POSTS

17 years ago

We have been talking about loneliness when you are abroad, let's now talk about how to make friends (locals and other expats) when you're living in Uruguay

Which are your best tips to meet people and to make friends in Uruguay??

Thanks in advance for your participation

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puntadelesteexpats New member

8POSTS

17 years ago

I guess it depends where you are in Uruguay.

Montevideo is really hard to break in if you intend to have local friends. Montevideans are just not interested, and those who are probably have lived overseas. The reason for the lack of interest is that although it is a sizeable city, the social customs are very provincial, with most people socializing with the same friends they made in elementary school or high-school, plus a couple added during the university years.

In the interior, from expats living in Colonia, for example, I have heard it´s much easier and people tend to be absorbed more readily into the local social life.

On the other hand, in Punta del Este it´s much easier to become assimilated and to have a choice of locals and foreigners to socialize with. Everyone in Punta del Este is from somewhere else, including most Uruguayans (who are a minority anyway), so the system is in place for fast integration of newcomers, wherever they may be from. BBQs and dinner parties galore, plus expat meetings and all kinds of activities, from free percussion lessons at the Centro Cultural, to golf or tennis at private clubs, help newcomers establish connections pretty fast.

1 member reacted to this post

irishelaine New member

6POSTS

16 years ago

You really are the ambassador for Punta del Este!!

There are plenty of expats in Montevideo from all over the world, and they meet every Sunday for lunch in Pocitos. If you want to get involved just check out this website for details. Its open to all and it happens every Sunday without fail...

meetings.totaluruguay.com/montevideo/expats.html

ExploreUruguay Member

1POSTS

16 years ago

I have to agree that Montevideo wasnt the easiest place to make new friends. A majority of my new friends from Uruguay were made in cities such as Punta del Este and La Barra. Frequenting several restaurants and visiting shops and bakeries made me some local store owners as friends. They were very welcoming and had lots of questions about Canada. As well, they made suggestions of places I could go to meet locals and introduced me to several people that remain friends with me to this day.

ELENA BASOA Member

1POSTS

14 years ago

soy Uruguaya, pero vivo en chile hace 17 años, ejerzo la profesion de Médico aquí, me gustaría saber que posibilidades existen de migrar a Australia y trabajar allá,y ver opciones de que mi hija estudie una carrera universitaria, gracias y hasta pronto.
Elena Basoa

Harmonie ViP

19273POSTS

14 years ago

Hi Elena, could you please post in English in this Anglophone forum?

Thanks,
Harmonie.

ventdusud New member

5POSTS

14 years ago

No es facil hacerse amigos en Uruguay pero tampoco es imposible. Para los francofonos existe una asociacion muy eficiente e simpatica: Montevideo accueil. Me parece normal expresarse en español en este foro hablando de Uruguay. Los que pensan vivir en Uruguay hablando solamente ingles, si que limitaran mucho la posibilidad de hacerse amigos alla si no intentan aprender el idioma nacional.

1 member reacted to this post

Armand ViP

24785POSTS

14 years ago

Harmonie wrote:
Hi could you please post in English in this Anglophone forum?

Thanks,
Harmonie.

Snikky7 Member

3POSTS

11 years ago

#10

Hello anyone there

lam40100 New member

6POSTS

5 years ago

#11

Hello buddy. I live in Greece very alone here. I also want to make acquaintances in Uruguay..but I do not know how. if you want we can talk and help each other.

kathrynwheeling Member

1POSTS

4 years ago

#12

Hey there! What a great suggestion! Sounds like fun! Will certainly do that on my upcoming trip to Uruguay! Thanks for the suggestion! 👩‍⚖️✈️👍Kathryn

blmahlmeister Member

10POSTS

4 years ago

#13

I speak passable Spanish. I am going to visit Uruguay for the first time in January. My intent is to be with as many nationals in my travels. I have decided to also employ a guide to be sure that I get to see the best local scene

blmahlmeister Member

10POSTS

4 years ago

#14

It’s very hard to immigrate to Australia. I know this from some family difficulties. But because you are a doctor, and of course the type of doctor you are, would make it possibly easier to be of real use in their community.
Go to their website and check on the current people they are looking to hire or immigrate to Australia.

diegoag78 Active member

85POSTS

4 years ago

#15

Hi blmahlmeister, hope you'll have a good experience here in Uruguay. When are you coming?

blmahlmeister Member

10POSTS

4 years ago

#16

I’ll be arriving the 12 of January in the AM looking for a local to take me to the real Montevideo. Be my companion some evenings so I won’t be on my own at night. If you know someone knowledgeable and would act as my squire! LOL. I’m grandma age BTW. Thanks

joneskirk2001 New member

5POSTS

4 years ago

#17

Yeah am arriving in April 2022 yes I would love to have you as my friend, you go before and update me on you experience there, did you mention age how old are you?

blmahlmeister Member

10POSTS

4 years ago

#18

I’d be glad to share! You’re going to be there at carnival? I’m going at the extreme seasons to find out if I would want to live there for good.

ColoniaMan Active member

86POSTS

4 years ago

#19

The language here Rioplatense a dialect of Latin American Spanish.

jasm332 New member

4POSTS

2 years ago

#20

@lam4010 Hello, i’m heading to Uruguay March 5, I’m hoping to meet some expats when I get there. Are you visiting Uruguay? If so, when might that be? It would be fun to have somebody to connect with there. I am going to.Pocitos. what about you?

wbraithwaite New member

8POSTS

2 years ago

#21

@ExploreUruguay

How is it now ? You has been there for a few years.

is is easy for yoj ger people to ive and get a job there.

Thinking of retiring there in a few years and wondering if it is easy for young oeople in early 20’s to also move and get a job? just curious as my daughter will be in her early to mid 20’s with a degree in biochemistry from the US.

perhaps she can do a masters there if in english?

is there a lit if racism or crime there?