How to make friends in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar if you're new
· Callumbra
Every year Valparaíso and Viña del Mar welcome lots of newcomers: students arriving at their universities, people moving for work and those who want to live by the sea. Arriving is exciting, but building a group of friends from scratch is hard. These ideas work whether you come from another part of Chile or from another country.
The advantage of a university area
With several universities and institutes in the area, many people are in the same situation as you: just arrived and keen to meet others. Make the most of welcome activities, workshops and sports teams at your school, even if you don't feel like going at first. If you're not studying, there are still plenty of activities open to anyone.
Activities where it's easy to meet people
- Outdoor sports: running or walking along the coast, or joining weekend hiking groups.
- Water sports, if you like them: many schools and clubs run beginner groups.
- Art, photography, music or dance workshops: the area has an active cultural life and workshops repeat every week.
- Volunteering: besides helping, you meet people with similar values.
- Language exchange groups, if you speak another language.
Repeat so friendship can grow
Friendship comes from seeing the same people again and again. Pick one or two weekly activities and stick with them instead of trying something different each week. By the third or fourth time, suggesting a coffee or a walk afterwards no longer feels forced.
Use the internet to take the first step
Look for groups for your neighborhood, university or favorite activity on social media and see what they organize.
A short video call before meeting in person helps you see whether you get along, without arranging a meetup with a total stranger.
If you meet someone you met online
- Talk several times first, ideally with a video call.
- Choose a busy public place for the first meetup and tell someone where you'll be.
- Get there and back on your own.
A way to start today
On Callumbra you can talk to real people on video from your browser, with nothing to install. There's no city filter, but there is a country filter, so you can choose to talk with people from Chile. It's 18+ only.