How to make friends in Uruguay

Expat.com wrote:

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

Hola,

Its very hard to make friends in Uruguay. I've been in Montevideo for 3 years and have met many people; expats and locals. There are a few expat groups that one could join. Some are for a fee and some are 'free'.

These groups cater to the more mature group; 50's and up. Its really not meant for young expats.

Smoking and drinking are big social things to do for young people,. But I'm just not into whiskey so I can't really relate.

So for the most part I have local friends. We talk when I see them. When I have a party I invite locals and a bit of expats. My other half gets invites for golfing and futbol games all the time. The women that are close to my age have kids, so I can't really relate so much.

I have a friend that is married to a local, but she is Cuban. So we get along really well. She's my trainer, so we talk all the time at the gym.

That's about it.

Ciao,
O

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 itŽs much easier and people tend to be absorbed more readily into the local social life.

On the other hand, in Punta del Este itŽs 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.

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

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.

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

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

Thanks,
Harmonie.

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.

Harmonie wrote:

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

Thanks,
Harmonie.

Hello anyone there

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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?

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.

The language here Rioplatense a dialect of Latin American Spanish.