Meeting the locals is a very important part of you study experience. After all, it is when you really get involved in the Australian way or life and discover the real Australia.  At Studymove, we periodically get emails from students asking “how can I meet more locals? or where are the Aussies?”.

Australians are very friendly and open and love to meet new people, so it should not take you too long to meet an Aussie hear "G¨Day mate!".

You need to remember too that similar to your country, Australians have already their own routine, so sometimes you need to make an effort to meet the locals and this sometimes means doing things that they do...like play sport or join a club or society.

 We have made a few suggestions about how you might meet some more Australians.

Meet local students in your institution.

In your institution, you will have the opportunity to meet some local students. It is common to see international students acting a little bit shy. This is normal and probably because they are afraid of language problems when talking to local students, but instead we recommend you to introduce yourself to local students. 

Know more about the Australian way or life or culture.

It is also important to understand more about the Australian culture to make a good connection with them. We suggest you to read the paper or watch the news to learn more about the Australian culture. Everybody loves to talk with someone who understands their values and culture.

Do things that locals do.

This could be a little bit difficult at the beginning because it take time to learn what Aussies do. You can start by going to a pub or nightclub where we can assure you will find lots of Aussies! You can also meet local students at sports games, beaches or national parks.

Get in touch with the community

Join a sport or social club! There are many options in Australia and for sure you will find one according to your interest. You can also do some volunteer or internship work in your free time. This is an excellent option to meet Australians with your same interest. For more information you can visit our section on clubs and societies.

Introduce yourself as an international student

Australians really like to meet and help people from overseas. So be open and from the start explain that you are not a local and you would like to know more about Australia (they really like that!).

Ask your institution to be a student volunteer.

Everyday we see more Australians going abroad on exchange programs. Just like you they will like to meet someone from a different country to evaluate their options and gather information in studying abroad. You can ask in your school or university if they know any of Australian looking for information about your home country.  It is also great to volunteer during different events at your institution as it allows you to meet a lot of new people. 

Be patient and open

Finally remember that making a friendship takes time, so just be patient. It is also important to be open for a chat and look for new friends.

If you have a “I met an Aussie” story, please share it with us and thousands of international students!

---