For example, moving around in my own country (UK) I’ve found it difficult to settle, lay roots and build a solid social bubble. I think a factor is that people are usually in well established families and social bubbles by this age (mid 30s).
Another factor specific to the UK is that friends/family are usually fairly commutable wherever you are. I imagine this is different with the US, in that if you move state you are fairly isolated, and so there’s more emphasis for building new social foundations perhaps?
I wonder if it’s like this as an expat? You are, along with most other expats, having to build a new. Doesn’t this lend itself to an easier social building experience? Well, with other fellow expats at least. I guess building it with locals is another challenge completely.
Or am I being naive? Is it just as difficult to “gain entry” into such communities? Again, I guess it varies on location, but I’d be interested to hear your experience.
I’ve always been very social and easily made friends living in the 6+ cities I’ve lived in my life. My recent move has been the most difficult socially, and has been confirmed by close friends in similar situations; the older you get, the harder it is to make friends. Your time and interests condense, which isn’t bad it just means you have figured out what you really want to prioritize, but that creates more gaps for social relationships. I’m more interested in traveling to maintain my strong relationships, which means less time dedicated to building ones where I’m at. The older you are, the more likely to have more significant stake in work and family so less flexibility to be social, etc.
Yeah and for me at least my job its intense so I am just too fucked at the end of the day to care about socialising especially with new people anyway.