Making Friends and Connecting with Others in La Paz

How to meet people and expand your La Paz area social circle

When you first arrive in a new country it can feel a bit lonely, particularly if you are single and don’t already know someone living there. When the new country has a different primary language, it can be even more challenging. The good news is that there are many ways to find information, meet new people and make connections, whether you speak the local language or not. Here are just a few ideas:

Learn A Few Spanish Phrases

The people of La Paz tend to be friendly and helpful. They are particularly kind and supportive to foreigners who show an interest or put in the effort to communicate and engage. To get off to the most positive start you can, say hello to the people you meet on the street and in your neighborhood. Ways to greet people:

  • Hola (oh-la)  = hello
  • Buenos días (bway-nose dee-ass) = Good morning (up until noon only)
  • Buenas tardes (bway-nuss, tar-days) = good afternoon (between noon and when it gets dark)
  • Buenas noches (bway-nuss no-chase) = Good evening (between when it gets dark and the morning)

**Note**  In La Paz, many people shorten the greeting to buen dia or even just beunas (bway-nuss), regardless of time of day so that you don’t have to worry about which ending to use. So long as you smile and make an effort, the locals are likely to give you a big smile, a wave, and a “buenas” in return.

As with any community, whether you live in a community of mostly ex-pats or mixed, or mostly Mexican community, it is helpful to know who belongs and who is a stranger and for others to recognize that you belong. Take some time to introduce yourself to your neighbors. If your neighbors are Spanish-speakers, it will be important to at least have a few words that will help you make introductions, so in addition to Hola and Buenas, you may want to learn these basic phrases:

English Phrase Spanish Equivalent
My name is Sue. Me llamo (may ya-mo)  Su (sue)
I am from Canada or Unites States. Soy de (soy day) _Canada  o Estados Unidos  (ess-tad-dos   oo-knee-dos)
It is nice to meet you. Mucho gusto (moo-cho goo-stow)
I don’t speak Spanish No hablo español (no    ab-low    ess-pan-yol)
I am your neighbor Soy tu Vecino (soy   too    vay-scene-oh)
I live there (point to your house) Vivo allí (vee-vo   a-yee).

For more tips on learning a few basic Spanish phrases, see our post “Will I Need to Speak Spanish in La Paz?” here.

When you are ready to get beyond the basics and start really connecting, try getting involved in the things you are passionate about or participated in in your home country. For example,

Religious Centers in La Paz

If you are religious, attending local services for your denomination can be a great way to get to know people who share a common purpose or beliefs. Here are a few of the local churches and religious centers in La Paz:

** At this time there are no Islamic mosques nor Sikh Gurdwaras in La Paz.

Sporting Activities in La Paz

  • If you play golf, there are two beautiful but very different golf courses in La Paz. Shared love of the game can be a great impetus for the development of friendships. Check out el Cortez Golf Club https://t.ly/2EaGU and Paraiso Del Mar Golf Club https://t.ly/yQJ7B
  • If you are a tennis or pickleball player, check out the local tennis/pickleball courts. You will find both Spanish speakers and English speakers at these clubs.  Check out our article on Pickleball in La Paz and area here: https://bajaliferealty.com/pickleball-in-la-paz/
  • If you are a hiker, join one of the local hiking (senderismo) groups – you can find them on Facebook. These groups plan hikes for just about every week. The only organized groups right now are Spanish groups, but they do have some members who speak at least a little bit of English and are more than happy to help newcomers to learn both the language and the way things are done here. Consider Comunidad Senderismo Aventura La Paz Bcs https://t.ly/0GKRa or  Explora to Baja Senderismo https://t.ly/FLCrC )
  • If you are a diver or snorkeler, book yourself on a snorkeling or diving tour where you will meet others with similar interests or join one of the local clubs such as the La Paz Dive Club – https://t.ly/7Xtwa

You get the idea, use your own interests and passions lead you to “your tribe” here in La Paz.

Making Social Media Connections

For those who are tech-savvy it can be helpful to leverage social media to make connections.

WhatsApp Chat Groups

Every community in La Paz has at least one WhatsApp chat to help keep the residents connected and to share important information or concerns. It can be challenging to figure out how to get on the chat, but once you do, it can be a great way to connect and find out what is happening around you. Check with your rental agent or your real estate agent to find out how to get connected on the local chats. For example, El Centenario has two WhatsAppchats, including an Events and GoingsOn chat, and an emergency chat. I was able to get the names of the groups and the contact information for the group’s administrator from my real estate agent. You do need to be prepared that these chats are VERY active, but it is a great way to find out who’s who and what is going on in your local community.

Facebook

Facebook is huge in Mexico. Many businesses here in La Paz may have no website, but many will have a Facebook page. This where to search, whether you are looking for information, events, businesses or services. There are also several Facebook groups specifically geared towardnew arrivals and expats in La Paz, including, but not limited to:

  • Loco La Paz Ex-Pats (https://t.ly/dNceQ) – this moderated group is one place where you can ask questions, get suggestions, or learn about community events in La Paz and surrounding area
  • La Paz Gringos (https://t.ly/iH6dD) – Another moderated group where you can ask questions, research previous questions and answers, get recommendations and connect with others in La Paz and area.
  • Ex-Pats in La Paz Mexico (https://t.ly/mUtLK) – another moderated group where you can find out about what it is going on in the community and ask questions.

    KM14: Grill-friends…Shrimply the Best – A centre for activities AND food
  • Events La Paz Gringos BCS (https://t.ly/RoCpy) – a Facebook page, in English, that is specifically about events in La Paz.
  • My Grill Friends….Shrimply the Best! (https://t.ly/alTC_) – the Facebook Events page for KM14 restaurant in El Centenario. KM14 is a hub of activity and group get togethers in Centenario, and they offer all kinds of events in addition to being the location for the local happy hour for some of the smaller community groups.
  • La Paz Gathering and Sharing (https://t.ly/YElV2) – a Facebook group where people can share upcoming events and activities in El Centenario, Chametla, Comitán and La Paz.
  • La Paz Living (https://t.ly/MFprq) – a Facebook group for new arrivals that promises to answer questions and make recommendations.
  • Tokines La Paz (https://t.ly/YU9th)   –  for those who speak at least some Spanish, this Facebook group provides information about local music events.
  • … and many more. These sites are a great place to learn about upcoming events, gather information how things are done, get recommendations for service providers, and make personal connections with others who are interested in similar topics.

New Arrivals Groups

In addition to Facebook pages, there are several local groups that are specifically for new arrivals such as:

  • Brighton West’s Almost Retired in Mexico gatherings on Sunday evenings at different local restaurants – learn more and see where the next event will be hosted here: https://t.ly/Kx7Gy
  • La Paz Newbies Lunches – weekly get togethers for lunch on Thursdays from 12 – 2 pm, hosted at different local restaurants by Joanne Keith to welcome newcomers to La Paz and help them to make connections with long-timers and with each other. Find out more and see where the next event will take place here: https://t.ly/clQIw
  • Baja Buddies Happy Hours – weekly get togethers for ex-pats on Wednesday afternoons for happy hour alternating weeks between Tiki Todds in El Centenario and Esterito Beer and Grill in La Paz. A good way to connect with other expats who are living in La Paz. For more information and their schedule, check them out here: https://t.ly/osGDh
  • Ladies Luncheons – a monthly get together of ladies to share companionship. The stated purpose of this group is to dine at different restaurants and get to know the ladies of La Paz. Its also a great way to network with each other privately regarding businesses. They say that they are always open to welcoming newcomers to La Paz. Learn more at: https://t.ly/A3V6W
  • Club Cruceros – a club that provides information and assistance to the boating community as well as land-based folks who would like to be involved with club activities here in La Paz. The club sponsors many fun events and raises funds for several local charities. They also offer yoga classes twice a week, a baja rummy club, a library and video collection for members, and they host daily coffee time at the clubhouse on the dock at Marina Del La Paz, a great way to meet others! https://t.ly/AaqCF

Clubs and Classes

Another great way to meet people is to take a class or join a club that will help you to learn the local language. As mentioned earlier, the ability to speak the language is invaluable to fitting in in a new country. If/when you are ready to start your learning process, consider some of the following:

A simple google search reveals several options for learning Spanish in individual and small group settings, either online or in person. For example, Danni offers online tutoring of beginner to intermediate level Spanish for foreigners https://t.ly/tC5tO and Sara, a local paceño, who offers in person and online tutoring for up to intermediate conversational level (WhatsApp +52-612-197-3719). Or check out El Nopal, a local school that offers in person, small-group classes: https://www.elnopalspanish.com/

Spanglish Conversation Club – a group of English and Spanish speakers who gather in a local restaurant (Mucho Gusto in el Centro in La Paz  https://t.ly/EqZsA ) from 7:30 – 9:30 pm every Tuesday to practice speaking in both English and in Spanish. Tables are of mixed languages and mixed abilities respond to fun and interesting questions alternating between Spanish and English. It is a great way to learn to listen and understand as well as to learn new words and phrases. It is also a great way of meeting non-expats and integrating with the Spanish-speaking community. https://t.ly/uB8pD **NOTE** there is also a Spanglish group that meets  in El Centenario at Café Exquisito, but they have no web presence.

If you want to try learning on your own, consider downloading Duolingo, the language app https://t.ly/1i2eT  and listening to the Duolingo podcast. https://t.ly/2gbJr. 

Be Curious

Above all, the best way to avoid loneliness and begin to fit into a new community is to reach out to others:

  • Accept invitations to do things with others who have been here for a while
  • Be open and curious everything will be new and different
  • Be patient and be brave because when things are different, while they can seem scary at first, if you practice acceptance and patience, you will do fine.

It won’t take long before you are connecting with others in the community and La Paz will start to feel like home.