How to make friends in Puerto Rico

In Rincon, a way to make friends is by joining one of the local community groups Surfrider or ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation).  Both organizations have many state siders working toward helping the community.  Both organizations are non profit, and have continual projects and activities.
Just recently, ARF held a dinner to raise money, and over 120 persons attended.  Most from all over the states and all ages. I volunteer for both and help out with their web stuff.
Check out the ARF Blog.
Surfrider has regular beach clean ups.  Sometimes we walk the beach picking up trash.  Sometimes we snorkel in a line collecting underwater trash (we found a cannon in Nov). Check out the Surfrider blog.

Hi there!

I am very interested in volunteer work in Puerto Rico - would anyone know of any sites (other than Craigs List) where I could find volunteering positions? Predominantly, in the community development and/or tourism sector. My spanish is not good, and I would like some work which will help me ease into the lifestyle and language and meet people!

Hello,

Try the Newcomers Club of Puerto Rico... http://www.newcomerspr.com/

They are a wonderful group that caters to Expats, volunteer work and non profit events.  Many activities and functions to join and meet people.

Good Luck!  Also Meet up groups on line are another good resource.

Lynn

There's a FB group called "mommy and daddy's playgroup" that you should join - I do not have little kids, but this group is a constant source of information!

Very old thread, last post before today was October 2009. Probably not looking for friends 8 years later.

There's different groups for all kinds of lifestyles. There's a group for those young millionaires, how to do a blog type of group, cultural tours, book lovers, Friday night fun and much more..... let us know how it went!
https://www.meetup.com/cities/us/pr/san_juan/

Go out, have fun, talk to people mingle and jingle, locals are mostly friendly, sometimes too friendly and open engage into conversation, in any case you just have one new friend here!....

Regards,

Carlos

The best way to make friends anywhere is by always being friendly.

Visit "Expats in Puerto Rico" FB group and meet a lot of people and their friends.

Hi! I had a woman I met today mention this group as well but I cannot find it for the life of me. Can you post the link for me? Thanks in advance! - JC

julicampbell wrote:

Hi! I had a woman I met today mention this group as well but I cannot find it for the life of me. Can you post the link for me? Thanks in advance! - JC

I run it for the most part: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4546107 … ;ref=notif

Hi, Julicampbell, here is the link.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/454610751563324/

The link doesn't work, Schuttz.

We've been trying to make friends here on the island... it isn't as easy as I thought it would be... and some of the people that we have met have never called us or texted us to hang out or anything of the sort. Seems we put forth the effort but then nothing (like the realestate agents). We were hanging around one "friend" that when we would go anywhere we would invite them, but when they did anything we never got invited so we've basically gotten tired of trying. It does hurt to the point of bitterness. Because of such we haven't ruled out moving back to the states or at least for part of the year.

BearNVa wrote:

We've been trying to make friends here on the island... it isn't as easy as I thought it would be... and some of the people that we have met have never called us or texted us to hang out or anything of the sort. Seems we put forth the effort but then nothing (like the realestate agents). We were hanging around one "friend" that when we would go anywhere we would invite them, but when they did anything we never got invited so we've basically gotten tired of trying. It does hurt to the point of bitterness. Because of such we haven't ruled out moving back to the states or at least for part of the year.

Ill be calling you guys when I come down latter this year.

Bear, were the people you were trying to build friendships with Puerto Rican or from elsewhere?

It's tough in Latin culture to know when friendliness is based on actual friendship. Interestingly, continental Europeans have the same problem trying to gauge North Americans. We're nicer than the French, Germans, Nordics, etc., but that doesn't mean we want to be friends either.

In Latin culture, this disconnect is even more so.

NomadLawyer wrote:

Bear, were the people you were trying to build friendships with Puerto Rican or from elsewhere?

It's tough in Latin culture to know when friendliness is based on actual friendship. Interestingly, continental Europeans have the same problem trying to gauge North Americans. We're nicer than the French, Germans, Nordics, etc., but that doesn't mean we want to be friends either.

In Latin culture, this disconnect is even more so.

I 100% agree.

I grew up in Germany and then lived in Ecuador for 1 year - it was tough for me the first couple of months because everyone was crazy friendly but they would never call back etc, took me a bit to figure out how things work and it takes longer to actually call someone a friend.

I then moved to the States and like you said Americans are way friendlier at the surface. Hey how is it going, how is your day going, can I help with anything etc. but when you really need the person they might not call back etc.

Germany is the other way around - people are very reserved and can appear 'unfriendly' but once they connect with you, you have a real friend.

So it's just different cultures and I also had to understand that someone looking to play some poker or have a drink doesn't necessarily want to be best friends and hang out a bunch. It's all good once you understand the differences in culture though.

My situation won't apply to everyone but what has always worked for me is to meet with people that share the same interests I have.

I moved from Germany To Ecuador, then from Ecuador to Miami. From Miami we moved to San Diego and eventually to Vegas - all within a couple of years.

So trust me, I know how it feels to start over again and again and I work from home so it's even trickier to meet people.

What works amazingly well for me to quickly make friends is sports and entrepreneurship.

It's going to be tough to make friends in 'general' just by being outside but if you can find our where people with the same interests and hobbies as yours hang out, it's very easy to make friends thanks to the affinity that exists.

Practical example from my life - I love to play Basketball, I do CrossFit and I'm an entrepreneur.

By far the fastest way for me to connect (and I do that everywhere I move) is to join a Crossfit gym and to find out where folks play Basketball.

After that I also check where Entrepreneurs hang out in terms of Meetups or get together and I join there as well.

Now this sounds like I'm super pro-active but the reality is most of my day I'm at home and I'm not outgoing BUT to at least meet some people I do make sure to do what I mentioned above and it worked so far in every country and every city.

WoW... 

I am very outgoing I start conversations with people in line, with people at a bus stop, at a doctor, even start conversations with beggars. I like to meet people.

When I go on vacation I am just itching to do the next thing. Like after an hour at the beach, I am like lets go someplace else. I get bored easy but can spend 12 hours in front of a computer since I been doing that for more than 40 years.

ReyP wrote:

I am very outgoing I start conversations with people in line, with people at a bus stop, at a doctor, even start conversations with beggars. I like to meet people.

When I go on vacation I am just itching to do the next thing. Like after an hour at the beach, I am like lets go someplace else. I get bored easy but can spend 12 hours in front of a computer since I been doing that for more than 40 years.

Me also... I get bored easy and like you said but I can spend all day in front of a computer but that's not what I moved to PR for...

BearNVa wrote:

ReyP wrote:

I am very outgoing I start conversations with people in line, with people at a bus stop, at a doctor, even start conversations with beggars. I like to meet people.

When I go on vacation I am just itching to do the next thing. Like after an hour at the beach, I am like lets go someplace else. I get bored easy but can spend 12 hours in front of a computer since I been doing that for more than 40 years.

Me also... I get bored easy and like you said but I can spend all day in front of a computer but that's not what I moved to PR for...

Nope, I like and enjoy multiple things and never been that much to just lay and grill my skin in the sun. Going to the beach, restaurants, malls, movies, museums, rivers, fishing, all sorts of things, but only for a while and move to the next thing.

Puerto Rico is one of the friendliest places in the world. There is always a smiling face and fun loving person to meet. I always look forward to going to Puerto Rico because I make new friends everywhere. On the plane, at the beach, at the bars, store's, anywhere.

Puerto Ricans are fun loving people who love to dance, drink have fun and enjoy life. I love to travel by myself and meet people, it's super easy in PR.

Just strike up a conversation with people and you'll see! Buena suerte!

Hi how are you my name is Carmen
Wanted to know if you have info on any groups that do volunteer new to the west area of Puertorico, thankyou

Lots of groups clean the beaches in rincon. Also theres a group thatbhas veen restoring the area on aguadilla near the ruins
Aguada has an earthship home.  Lots of options. You can find these on facebook
If you want to facbook friend me i can tag you in these groups.  My name on facebook is
Zazoo pitts.  You will see a bernie sanders photo.  Then you know you have found me

Thank you!

Hi, I am from Colombia and I have lived at the moment in 3 cities in Mexico, 2 in US and now here in San Juan Puerto Rico, and I all the cities I have lived i have made friends on the work, on bars, gyms, etc, but I have never struggle more to get friends and connect with the culture like here in Puerto rico. If you talk with them they are nice and open to talk but after one conversation everything ends. Also this city doesn't offer too much variety of options, the only concerts that you can find are from Reggaeton mainly and sometimes Salsa, there is not too many options las theater, festivals.

I have tried Meetup there are only like 5 groups for the entire island, Internations only make one activity every two months. I have been really frustrated with this situation and considering that I am Latino and I have supposed to have more in common like the language but still it is difficult here.