When I first arrived, I felt very nervous about making friends in Manaus. Making friends in a new place is always a little bit scary, even as an adult. Plus, in all honesty, my Portuguese could use some definite improvement. Luckily for me, Brazilians happen to be some of the most friendly and open people on this planet. It only took me being open and willing to put myself out there, such as by going to cafes alone, knitting at a public park and talking to people who looked friendly, to start to make friends and build a community in Manaus.
During my first week in Manaus, it was difficult to know where to go in the city, so I asked people where they liked to go. I asked my waitress what her favorite museum is, I asked my uber driver where to find the best açaí in the city and I asked a random artsy-looking person where I could find good art supplies. All of these interactions not only led me to great places in the city but also helped me to form connections.
My last note, with which I am still heathily grappling, is how I plan to maintain my hobbies here in Manaus. If you have not figured out by this point, my hobbies are extremely important to me, and they impact how I form my community. I will share with you my plan, and maybe you all can take part in holding me accountable! I plan to join a pottery studio here and have been actively looking for one, to join a basketball and/or volleyball team, to live with other students at my affiliated university, to purchase a travel easel so I can paint outside, to take samba classes (a type of Brazilian dance) and to visit many, many, many art museums. It seems to be much easier to find your community in your preferred hobby when you are actively doing those hobbies.
