Moving to a new city and making friends isn’t always easy – especially if that city is London, with more than 8 million inhabitants stretched over quite literally hundreds of miles.
But don’t let that put you off.
If there’s one thing we love about this wonderful city of ours it’s the people. And if there’s something else, it’s the seemingly endless opportunities to experience new things and get involved in hundreds of different events across the city.
So if you’re from New Zealand/Oz and looking to make friends in London, here are a few of our well-chosen tried and tested favourites from your favourite London movers.
Join Kiwis in London on Facebook
Although not strictly limited to Kiwis (Aussies are welcome too, as is anyone who might find the group useful), this is an invaluable resource and community for New Zealanders living in London.
Flat shares, tips on getting settled, job opportunities, culture, exclusive offers for members are just some of the benefits of the Kiwis in London group. The great thing about it is that it’s run by Kiwis in London (obviously), so the content reflects the authentic experience. The guys and girls behind the page have been there and done it, so they can offer tips and make recommendations on all aspects of being a Kiwi living in London.
Secret Cinema
Have you ever dreamed of battling stormtroopers and rescuing Princess Leia? Ever considered what you’d do if there was a zombie outbreak and you suddenly found yourself abandoned and all alone in London? Or maybe the world of Pink Ladies and poodle skirts is more your thing.
It doesn’t matter. If there’s a film you love, or a Halloween outfit you’ve been dying to re-use, Secret Cinema will definitely not disappoint.
These incredible events offer a fully-immersive experience into the worlds and storylines of your favourite blockbuster films. But here’s the catch: you’ll be separated from your friends upon arrival and fully encouraged to meet new people and run around riot throughout the night. In fact, you’d be surprised how close a group of strangers can become after single-handedly trying to save the Resistance and blow up the Death Star.
Did we mention it’s insanely fun too?
We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
Meetup.com
If all that sounds a bit labour intensive, you might prefer going online and letting the digital fates find you new and interesting people to hang out with.
Meetup.com is a well-established and wonderfully helpful way to do exactly that. You can discover like-minded communities who love to organise weekend hill walks, play 5-aside, or just go on a pub crawl. There really are no limits.
If you’re starting a new job, by the way, it’s a good way to meet other professionals in your sector and do some networking.
Interesting Talks
Interesting Talks brings together all the best and most popular lectures, presentations and discussions located in and around London.
You can filter according to subject and date, and browse potentially hundreds of different events – ranging from art and architecture to economics and engineering. It’s a fantastic way to new people, young and old, and get to know London’s diverse and magnetic cultural backdrop.
Planning on hosting your own event sometime soon? You can also post on Interesting Talks and invite other like-minded people to your shindig.
Making friends in London
We know it’s a little daunting getting to know people and making new friends in London. Trust us, we’ve been there too.
There’s lots of different ways, however, to make this city feel like home. Even if just it’s signing up to an amateur rugby club or finding out what’s going on at King’s College. We’re sure you’ll grow to love London as much as we do.
If you have any tips for other Kiwis out there, follow us on Twitter and let us know.
