It ́s not uncommon to feel alone, confused and even a little scared when you start
living alone in a city. It takes a while to know the routines, rhythms and peculiarities
of your adoptive home. I have lived all this in first person when I moved to Seville to
begin my university studies and that is the reason why I write this article and then I
will present the tips that I would have liked to hear when I arrived in the city to feel at
home.
Take some things with you that remind you of home. Put some things in your
suitcase that remind your home from the moment you unpack your luggage. Even
simple things, like your bedding or curtains, will make your new house seem more
cozy. What helped me most was to place photos of my family and friends on the
walls, so it will seem to you that you are not so far away.
Explore and be a tourist. Don ́t forget to tour the city as a visitor. When you arrive,
visit the tourist attractions as it will help guide you. If you spend a day or two
watching parks, museums, commercial areas, etc., you will get a good idea of what
your new city is like.
Do what the locals do. For example, do you see that everyone rides a bicycle in
your new city? Get a bike! Is the subway the most used form of transport? Get your
transport card as soon as possible, so you can easily explore and tour the city with
the rest of the city's residents. In Seville, for example, teenagers tend to travel by
bicycle and that's how I met one of my best friends, since we were doing the same
route to go to university.
Make local friends. It ́s likely that your neighbors or the people you meet in the gym
or in class have lived in this city throughout their lives. If you strive to meet local
people, you will feel more comfortable in your new city and they will also help you a
lot. They will offer you plenty of good advice, they will tell you where the best bars
and restaurants are and they will give you all kinds of recommendations about
places to visit, street food stalls, etc. By absorbing all this knowledge about the
place, you will begin to feel like a resident before you know it.
Have them visit you. Invite your new friends to study or drink at home. With this you
will not feel alone at home, it will increase trust with your new friends and hopefully
they will invite you to their homes another day where you may meet new people.
I hope these tips help you if you are going to start living in a new city.